Unfamiliar Territory
by unknownbyself
Summary: During the Shodaime's fight with Madara at the Valley of the End, he is caught in a Kamui. Watch as he tries to return home...while adapting to his new life.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Jutsu/Magic: Jutsu

Normal Speech: "Yo."

Demon/Monster Speech: **"Yo."**

Thoughts: '_Yo'_

Hashirama Senju looked up from the fallen body of his foe, Madara Uchiha. He let out a heavy breath as he sat down next to the body, with much effort. His body creaked and groaned with pain; the battle had gone on for several hours.

During the fight, the sneaky Madara had used every trick in his arsenal: from using his new Mangekyo Sharingan, to going as far as to summoning the Kyubi. Hashirama had effectively neutralized the latter threat by restraining it with his Hokage-Shiki Jijun Jutsu: Kakuan Nitten Suishu(Hokage-Style Sixty-Year-Old Technique: Enclosed Hermitage Entering Society With Bliss-Bringing Hands). After that, he used fuinjutsu (sealing techniques) to seal it inside the body of a woman named Mito Uzumaki. Dealing with Madara's summon alone had been extremely taxing to his chakra reserves.

Then there was the matter of his evolved Sharingan; the higher form of the classic Uchiha bloodline had proved to be difficult to combat. All throughout the fight, the former Uchiha clan head had fired off his dangerous Amaterasu technique; the insatiable black flames caused the destruction of many a Moku Bunshin (Wood Clone). Truly, it was a wonder how the newly-appointed Hokage had managed to win.

Then something began to stir. The Mokuton user quickly sprung up when he caught a flare of chakra. He hastily drew a kunai. _'Another enemy, and at this time?!' _thought the Senju, sighing in exasperation. _But there's no one here besides myself and… _He cut his thoughts short when he pointed his kunai at the supposedly fallen Madara. His eyes widened when the body disappeared before his very eyes.

"Wh-where..?" he asked, hurriedly searching for his longtime rival. "It was a genjutsu? But when did he have the time..?"

"You seem to be slipping Hashirama-san," stated the deep voice of his foe. "Even a genin would have noticed the illusion. How far your people must have fallen indeed to choose a leader who cannot notice a simple ruse. How disappointing."

"You took advantage of my momentary panic when you sent out that chakra flare," Hashirama said; it was more of a statement than a question.

"It was more complex than that, Hokage-san," Madara stated, practically spitting out the title and honorific. "You have been fighting a reinforced shadow clone for most of our battle. Only the summoning and Sharingan jutsus were actually from me, done via a quick Kawarimi (substitution). A pity that you exhausted nearly all of your chakra, whilst I still have a respectable reserve left. This battle is over," said the fan-wielding Uchiha, his red Sharingan eyes blazing and dripping blood.

"Our battle will be over when it's over, and no sooner," countered the Senju, already forming the handseals for another jutsu. "Suiton: Mizurappa (Water Style: Water Whips)!" Using the nearby river as a source, he lashed out with his jutsu, sending tendrils of water racing towards the traitor. While his jutsu was not as strong as the Suiton employed by his brother, he was no slouch in the water department.

Madara easily dodged the whips by using some sort of time-space jutsu involving his eyes. He formed a seal of his own and shouted "Katon: Gokakyu No Jutsu (Fire Style: Grand Fireball Technique)," expelling a large fireball from his mouth. The new Hokage dodged the attack by using Shunshin (Body Flicker) before he was roasted to a crisp. He countered THAT attack by aiming a hard adamantine fist at the traitor's head which he dodged with ease.

It was then that Hashirama noticed that Madara was standing completely still, Sharingan eyes boring into the hard stone of the Valley of the End. He seemed to be concentrating intently on something. "You are getting senile, Uchiha. I am over here."

To his surprise, the red-eyed man merely smiled. "I am sorry to inform you that it is YOU who are losing focus. Your posturing has allowed me complete my technique! Behold the true power of the Mangekyo Sharingan! Kamui (Might of the Gods)!"

Hashirama's eyes widened when he noticed that the stone in his immediate vicinity was being sucked into what appeared to be a black hole. He tried to Shunshin out of the area, but Madara hit him with a swift chop to the back of his head, knocking him out. The last thing the Shodaime saw was the portal that seemed to grow even bigger…

Madara chuckled as he turned to leave. With the bothersome Senju gone, he could finally take his place at the helm of the newly-founded Konohagakure No Sato (Village Hidden in the Leaves). He walked away from the scene, confident that his rule over the fledgling village would be far better than that of the wood-using fool.

That's what would have happened had Hashirama not taken precautions. At that time, his trap was automatically sprung. A Moku Bunshin emerged from one of the nearby trees and gripped the Uchiha tightly, then fused itself with one of the trees that was being sucked into the Kamui. Madara struggled to get free or, lacking that, at least dispel the portal.

Unfortunately for him, the Kamui was very chakra-consuming and left him exhausted. In addition, the wooden clone had him completely restrained; he could not even form the ram seal to dispel the black hole. "No! This was not supposed to happen! I was going to lead my clan to glory…"

He would have said more, but he had already been sucked into the portal. With no chakra source to maintain it, the Kamui dispelled itself as soon as its caster was gone. The only traces left of either combatant were the various trees and scorch marks left by their jutsus. Nearby, the waterfall continued to flow. It offered not a single word as to what transpired there…

_(Konoha, One Hour Earlier)_

Tobirama was worried. He knew that his brother had gone off to fight the rogue clan head. While he knew that Hashirama could take care of himself, he still felt some trepidation. After all, the (former) head of the Uchiha clan had not gotten his title merely because it was handed to him (he had, but he still had to be strong enough to maintain it).

He decided that he could not wait anymore. He quickly called several of his close friends and family. "My friends, it seems that my brother has taken it upon himself to deal with the rogue Madara. I wish to go out to search for him, and am looking for any volunteers to assist me." This statement was met by a chorus of cheers as everyone in the group agreed to help him.

The Suiton user smiled gratefully as he took in the number of people who agreed to help. He did a double take, however, when he spotted a certain woman in the crowd. This woman had the characteristic red hair of the Uzumaki clan; she was Uzumaki Mito, his brother's bride-to-be. "Mito-sama, what are you doing here? You know you must rest," he implored, knowing that she was now the Jinchuriki (Human Sacrifice) of the fearsome Nine-Tailed Fox demon.

"What do you think I am doing? I'm going to find my fiancé!" Stated the woman, her blue eyes alit with a surprising amount of fire.

"But Mito-sama, you just came from a battlefield! Even for an Uzumaki, surely you know of the dangers that could be lying in wait!" He was shocked at the force with which she had spoken. Only an hour ago she was practically bedridden, suffering through the intense pain of having her chakra coils rearrange themselves to conform to the powerful Biju's chakra.

"I know that Tobirama. I am not a genin; I can take care of myself! You of all people should know that I am a force to be reckoned with, even while injured. Now stand aside! I will find him with your help or without!" She roughly shoved him aside, catching the younger Senju by surprise and knocking him to the floor.

He rubbed his arm where the woman had pushed him; she had shoved him with such power that it actually left a bruise on his shoulder. A part of him was impressed at the sheer strength the Uzumaki possessed; the other part of him was simply annoyed at her stubbornness. He sighed in exasperation as his friend Makoto approached him.

Makoto wore a navy-blue battle kimono with a fishnet shirt and a pair of black biker shorts beneath it. On her feet were a pair of tabi and ordinary straw sandals; her Konoha hitai-ate was around her neck. Her heart-shaped face was framed by shoulder-length black hair. All in all, she was beautiful as well as deadly; an ideal kunoichi by anyone's standards. Tobirama knew better, however. She had been one of the main ones to oppose Madara's designs, and had a fiery temper to boot.

She held out her hand for the Senju to grab, which he did. When he got up, he noticed that she had her trademark Sharingan eyes active. "That woman is so stubborn. Not an hour ago she was laid up while trying to get used to the Kyubi screwing with her chakra coils. Now she wants to go look for your brother, knowing full well she's not ready yet! What's wrong with that bitch?"

Tobirama gave her a flat look. "How many times have I told you not to talk about Mito-sama that way?"

She merely shrugged in response. "I don't know, maybe twenty? Anyway, that's not the point! The bitch must have some sort of screw loose or something! You KNOW it's true! Are all Uzumaki that way?"

The Suiton user shook his head. "There is no way to get you to stop that language, is there? To answer your question, I do not know if they are; Mito-sama does not speak often about her time in Uzushiogakure (Village Hidden in the Whirlpools)."

Makoto let her shoulders droop; she had been hoping to learn more about the 'crazy bastards from the whirlpool village (her term)'. "We're getting off track. Let's organize the search party. It shouldn't take us that long to get to the Valley of the End, anyway. Maybe an hour."

Tobirama nodded his head. "Agreed. We should go as soon as possible." With that, the Senju sped off to his home to prepare.

Once he got to his estate, he hurriedly opened his door. He went into his room and opened the cherry wardrobe leaning against the western wall. He quickly put on his signature armor: a black full-body bodysuit, tabi and straw sandals, the blue samurai armor with the furry white tuft on the shoulders, and his helmet (if anyone can find a better way to describe it, please let me know).

He quickly left his house and made for the gates when he was stopped by a boy no older than seven or eight years old. The boy looked up and him and asked, "Sensei, where are you going?"

"I'm going to go look for my brother. He went off on some sort of errand and hasn't come back, so I'm going to lead a group of shinobi to go find him," the future Hokage replied. "We'll come back soon Hiruzen."

A look of worry crossed the boy's face. "Hokage-sama will be alright, won't he? He promised to show me an awesome Doton move."

Tobirama smiled at him reassuringly and ruffled his hair. "Of course. We'll bring him back safe and sound. Now run along. You and your friends have training to do, do you not?"

Sarutobi Hiruzen guiltily avoided his teacher's gaze. "Umm…yes?"

"Then get to it. Homura and Koharu must be waiting for you," the white-haired man stated, which prompted the boy to run off to join his future teammates. The Suiton user chuckled at the boy's antics. "That boy's going to be a great shinobi someday. I have to get to the gate now; Makoto-chan's probably organized everyone already." With that, he shunshined to the large gates.

_(Konoha, Village Gates)_

Makoto paced back and forth in front of the gates, an angry expression on her face. Walking next to her was an equally-irked Mito. Stationed nearby were the people who volunteered to search for the Hokage; they had nervous looks on their faces. The reason? They knew that both women were extremely volatile when angered.

Both of them practically exploded when Tobirama appeared in a swirl of leaves. "WHAT TOOK YOU SO LONG?!" they shouted at the same time, causing the volunteers to shrink back in fear.

The young Senju flinched at their tone. "I apologize, I was stopped by Hiruzen and I had to reassure him…" he stammered, hoping that would be enough to calm the women's brewing tempers.

"We already have everyone ready. We were just waiting for you. Honestly, if you were going to be THIS late we would've just left you behind. Well, come on. Let's get going," said Makoto; her tone had softened, but still had a dangerous edge in it that made him gulp nervously.

"H-hai…" he replied, gathering everyone around him. "Makoto-chan and I will head one party, and Mito-sama and Daisuke-san will lead the other. We are to search the entirety of the Valley of the End; that is where Mito-sama said they were last she saw. Let's go!"

With that, the two groups vanished in a swirl of leaves. The stony valley and waterfall were their destinations; they did not know what they would find, but they hoped that their Hokage would be there.

_(Unknown Location)_

Hashirama couldn't see anything. All that was in his field of vision was sand; it reminded him of the endless sands of Suna. He got up into a kneeling position somehow, and took in his new surroundings.

He seemed to be in some sort of desert; the hot winds and sand confirmed it. He briefly thought he was in the desert near the young Suna village, but that thought was dispelled when he noticed the strange vegetation. There were odd plants and cacti that he'd never seen before. A brief look at his surroundings confirmed his suspicions: whatever the jutsu was that Madara hit him with, it transported him to a new location somehow.

He slowly stood up and took a deep breath of hot air. This heat was intolerable; he was beginning to sweat buckets. Unfortunately, he possessed no other clothing; all he had on him was his kunai and shuriken pouches as well as some ration bars. He had to find some water soon; he had a fledgling village to lead, and he couldn't do that if he was dead from dehydration! He then spotted a small camp in the distance; hopefully there was someone there who could help him.

He gathered up what was left of his chakra and shunshined to the camp, making sure he reappeared in an out-of-the-way place so as not to frighten the local populace. With that finished, he leaned against the side of a small hut and promptly fell asleep from chakra exhaustion.

_(Several Hours Later)_

The Senju groaned as he slowly opened his eyes. He was currently suffering from a (admittedly mild) headache, not to mention his body was still slowed from using up all his chakra. A quick look around revealed a few things: one, he was no longer outside the hut, but appeared to be inside of it; two, someone had placed him on a bed that while small was very comfortable; last, he was not wearing his shinobi armor or, more importantly, his hitai-ate.

He shot up at speeds that would make a jonin break their neck, panicked. To him, it was not just a headband; it was proof of who he was and where he belonged. He tried to get up but his weakened body prevented him from doing much. Hashirama cursed as he had no choice but to lay back down.

At that time, a man chose to make himself known. He stepped quietly into the hut, a soft smile on his face when he noticed the tension on Hashirama's face. "Don't worry; I'm not here to hurt ya. I'm actually the one who carried ya in here."

The strange man seemed to relax a bit before speaking to him in a language he'd never heard before. The man raised an eyebrow at the look he was getting before stopping and speaking in his own language. "Where am I? Who are you?"

"The name's Darius, friend. I own this place. What's your name?"

"My name is…" he was about to answer when he remembered a little of what he learned when he had visited the lands to the west. If he remembered correctly, they put their surnames last as opposed to putting it first. If he really was in the west, it was better to follow their customs. "Hashirama Senju."

"Hello mister Senju. I'd like to welcome you to my camp located just outside the royal city of Rabanastre. You look like you've seen better days," the man said, handing the shinobi a canteen which he eagerly drank from. "If ya don't mind me asking, where are ya from? Ya don't look like you're from the royal city."

"I am actually from Konohagakure, the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Do you know how to get there?" he asked, taking another grateful sip of the cool water.

"I can't say I've even heard of such a place. You look like those people from the Far East though. Maybe your village is there? I saw some of them in the city the last time I visited. When you've properly rested, I'll guide you there. I needed to pick up a few things anyway, is that a deal?" the man offered, holding out his hand.

The wood-using Hokage smiled and took it, shaking the man's hand with enthusiasm. "It's a deal. Now then, I have some questions for you…"

A/N: I was up to my neck in plot bunnies and this is the result. What do you guys think? Any responses and reviews would be appreciated, thanks. Unknownbyself, away! *uses a Gate Crystal*


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Jutsu/Magic: Jutsu

Normal Speech: "Yo."

Demon/Monster Speech: **"Yo."**

Thoughts: '_Yo'_

Darius cursed loudly as he dodged a ferocious bite from a Wild Saurian. He had been fighting wolves in the area when a stray gun shot from his Spica rifle nailed the dinosaur-like dragon. It had, understandably, been angered and was now fully intent on making the human its lunch. Since then, the man had been desperately trying to escape, occasionally firing off rounds in the hope that they would distract the monster long enough for him to get away.

Unfortunately that did not work and it was still firmly giving chase. The wide-open desert ensured that he was the only one in the creature's sights. There was no escape for him, he realized. He could only hope that someone could help him.

"Mokuton: Mokuryu No Jutsu (Wood Style: Wood Dragon Technique)!"

The attack was as sudden as it was mysterious. A huge dragon that appeared to be made of wood flew headlong at the Saurian, throwing it backwards a fair distance and smashing it against a rock formation. The monster was further angered and charged towards Darius at full speed, only for its progress to be blocked once again. "Mokuton: Mokujin No Jutsu (Wood Style: Wood Human Technique)!"

A gigantic golem made of wood held up its arms and prevented the dinosaur from going any farther. The golem then drew back a massive fist and punched it solidly on the head; the monster's skull collapsed as it was crushed by the sheer force of the blow, killing it instantly. Then the golem disappeared as soon as it had shown up, leaving behind no trace of its existence just seconds before.

Darius looked around confusedly. Where had his friend gone? As soon as the wooden human had gone, he saw the slightly hunched form of his friend; he had his hands clasped together in some strange sort of handsign. "Can you go anywhere without getting yourself in trouble? By my count, I've had to save you from at least two of those lizards, countless wolves, and some of those sentient cacti."

The desert dweller smiled sheepishly and scratched the back of his head. "I usually can. I guess it's just not my day, heh."

The man's only response was to roll his eyes in annoyance. "Well, are you done? We do not have all day for you to just play in the desert, you know. They're expecting us at the Nebra bank village."

Darius nodded his head. In the short week that he had been traveling with the strange man, he had adapted quickly to life in the Estersand. He had scrapped his black bodysuit in favor of simple tan-colored clothing, though he still wore his red armor. The odd headband he had been wearing rested proudly on his forehead once again. His sandals had been scrapped in favor of a simple pair of leather boots worn at Darius's behest; they were sturdier and also provided protection from snakes.

Hashirama had also proved himself to be a more than capable fighter; he did not employ any visible weapon, but caused plenty of damage with his hand-to-hand attacks and strange magic. It seemed to make plants and trees grow no matter the environment (this was proven when he forced an oak tree to sprout in the middle of Darius's tent), and even took on different shapes and purposes in accordance with the man's will. He had helped Darius fend off monsters and capture marks many times. "Hey Hashirama, I got a request for you," the desert-dweller asked, causing his companion (who was currently carrying the Saurian's body much to his amazement).

The wood user turned to his friend. "What is it?"

"Well, I was thinking, when we get to Rabanastre, how's about I introduce you to the clan I'm a member of? I'm sure Montblanc would accept ya as a new clanner, if ya chose to join that is," he offered.

Hashirama paused for a bit (and thus had to drop the carcass, causing it to hit the ground with a loud thud and scaring off several wolves that had been stalking them) to consider Darius's offer. 'Hm, I don't see a downside. If the people Darius-san saw are no longer there, this clan might be able to assist me instead.' "Alright, I accept. How are you and this 'Montblanc' related? Are you cousins, siblings perhaps?"

Darius shook his head. "No, we're not related in any way; he's a moogle and I'm a Hume. He's my boss, that's all."

"Were you adopted into his family? Are any of your fellow clan members related?"

"Heavens no. I think Krjs mentioned a sister somewhere, but all of us only work together. Nobody else is related. Why do you ask?" the desert-dweller asked, hoping to learn more about the faraway land that his friend came from.

"Back where I come from, clan is the term we use for a large and distinguished family. Sometimes they're divided into main and cadet branches. They hold a large amount of political sway and are often quite wealthy," the wood user answered. "The way you seemed to mention your fellows implies that your version of a clan is more of a work arrangement."

"Something like that. Clans ARE sort of like work, except that we hunt marks and perform missions instead of dealing with political issues. Of course there are those who do that kind of stuff, but usually the clan's boss handles that. As for the wealthy part, that depends on the clan. Some have the power and money, some don't."

"I see. Then I have one more question for you. What is a 'mark'?"

Darius took his time to answer. "People and monsters live mostly peacefully, if not a little isolated from one another. But sometimes, a monster breaks that pattern and causes a disturbance in our daily lives. If that's the case, a bounty is put on its head and the clans are called forth to deal with it. The stronger the monster, or 'mark', the higher the reward."

Hashirama nodded; that system was similar to the way villages handled missing-nin back home. "I see. Thank you for the information," he said, hoisting the giant lizard's body above his head once again. "Let's go. It's scorching hot out here and I would rather not end up as a mummy."

"Agreed," the desert dweller replied, picking up his discarded rifle and slinging it over his shoulder. He then picked up several cactus fruits that had fallen from his pouch. Picking off the needles, he put it in his mouth and began to chew. "Hey, do ya want one? I've got plenty."

The young Hokage nodded and Darius tossed him one of the dark-skinned fruits. Using a kunai to peel off the skin and thorns, he quickly popped one in his mouth, savoring the deliciously sweet flavor of the deep-red flesh. These fruits had become his new favorite food; he had discovered them accidentally when he had killed a Cactoid with a well-placed shuriken. Curiosity had gotten the better of him and he tasted the odd fruit; he had not regretted it since.

He chewed the fruit slowly as he thought about the time he had spent in this land. It was far different than his home; these people had never heard of chakra, instead using a thing called 'Mist'. As far as he could tell, he was the only ninja around. A merchant he met along the banks of the Nebra was selling blades he called ninja swords; he was intrigued by the blades but was disappointed to find that he carried no money or Gil as they called it.

No one had ever heard of anything even resembling a ninja village (not even the elder of the village knew), and certainly had not seen anyone else like him. However, it wasn't all bad; the adult villagers liked him (using Mokuton to create trees for shade helped), as did the children (they thought his ability to water-walk was awesome).

Meanwhile, the work he did for the residents was hard but satisfying; he was sure that, were he not from Konoha, he could live here contentedly. Alas, he had a village to lead, a fact that he told the residents upon his first arrival to the quiet settlement. They were saddened to know that he would leave eventually, but did everything they could to make him feel welcome.

The single women repeatedly tried to ask him out, but he had to refuse; he was already engaged, he told them. That bit of information was enough to stop their open attempts, but there were still a few who stalked him. It reminded him of how sorely he missed his fiancé Mito.

"Hey Hashirama. You still in there? Ivalice to Hashirama, can you hear me?" He was suddenly awoken from his reverie by Darius snapping his fingers in front of his face.

"Eh? Oh, I'm sorry. I was lost in my own thoughts and lost track of where we were going," the wood user said.

Darius smiled. "It's alright. We're here anyway. You can drop the carcass off next to my hut; then you can go freshen up while I skin that thing."

Hashirama nodded and did what he was asked. With a groan, he dropped the giant lizard's body next to his friend's home, causing another impact and scaring the miniature wolf that lived in the camp. He then went into the hut, removed his armor, and went out once again. He walked over the shore and splashed the river water on his face, the water washing off the sweat and cooling his body.

"Here ya go sir, it'll dry you off," said a brown-haired boy accompanied by the miniature wolf from earlier. He handed the older man a towel which he took.

"Thank you Arryl. How are you doing today?" the man asked, wiping himself off. Arryl was one of the children who lived in the camp and was also always accompanied by his pet wolf Nathyl. The duo reminded the wood user of the Inuzuka clan. Like the others, he was fascinated by the shinobi's ability to walk on water and use chakra.

"I'm great sir! Listen, my family wants to have you over for dinner today. Can you come?" the boy asked. He thought this foreigner was just the coolest visitor he had ever seen.

"Of course. I would be honored," the man replied, smiling.

"Yay! And maybe you can show us some of those cool moves that you can do!"

The young Hokage couldn't help but to chuckle. "Now now. I wouldn't want to show off in front of anyone," he answered, causing the boy to deflate. "But I suppose my adamantine fist cracking the floor would be good enough, hm?"

At that the boy's eyes lit up with eager anticipation. "Yes sir! Very much! I gotta go now, but see you later! Bye!" The boy waved enthusiastically as he ran off with Nathyl in tow.

Hashirama's smile never left his face as he continued to wash himself. The river's cool water refreshed him and washed off the grime accumulated from the day's hunting. He wondered exactly how his body had replenished its chakra stores when there were no ambient traces of it; the only thing present was the Mist that everyone here employed.

He facepalmed when he realized that he had entirely forgotten the theory behind chakra. It was basically a form of ki produced and refined by the body; ki itself was generated by the body's absorption of energy in the air, no matter what it was. The Mist-powered chakra felt very different than the one he was used to, but in the end it could be employed the same way.

He also found that few if any people in this world could employ the use of chakra, let alone ki. At least, he thought so until a strangely-dressed lizard-like man came to the South Bank Village one day; the man had claimed to be a monk. The man's features reminded him somewhat of a certain clan he had encountered near the young village of Kirigakure (Hidden Mist Village), except that those people had looked more shark-like. That day he learned a valuable lesson about the lizard-man, or Bangaa as he called himself.

Never, NEVER call a bangaa a lizard. The monk heard the shinobi's remark and quickly attacked; the ensuing fight spilled out into the Estersand. Though he was no match for the wood user, the monk proved himself a capable fighter and even employed the usage of ki; that reminded him of the Fire Temple monks he had heard about in his travels.

'_Okay, so one here knows about chakra, but they know ki well enough. Sigh, I wish I knew how to return home. Oh, well. The least I can do is enjoy my friends' company, at least until we reach that city they talk about.' _He thought as he finished cleaning up and put on fresh clothes.

_(North Bank Village, later that night)_

Hashirama absentmindedly stoked the fire with a short branch he had conjured. The dinner had gone well; the residents had regaled him with stories about their daily lives and he had shown off a bit of his wide arsenal of jutsu.

"So, when do you want to be leaving to the city? We can go at any time," said Darius; he knew that the villagers would be sad to see him gone, but this man clearly wanted to return to his own home.

"Preferably as soon as possible; perhaps tomorrow would be best," replied the Senju, continuing to stoke the fire. "It is likely that those people that you saw will be leaving soon. I would not like to miss that opportunity."

"I understand. The folks here are going to miss you, you know."

"I know that. But I am missed back home as well. And lest I forget, I have a village to lead as well," Hashirama continued. "Make no mistake; I have grown close to these people. But I have family that misses me as well."

The desert-dweller nodded his head slowly. "Alright. Tomorrow morning we'll leave and head for Rabanastre. Be sure to pack everything ya need before ya go."

"I shall."

_(Outside of Konoha, One Hour And Thirty Minutes Later)_

Makoto sighed in exasperation as she searched for her wayward Hokage. Nearby, Tobirama was experiencing the same frustration, but chose to maintain his composure. Together with a group of loyal chunin and jonin, they had carefully gone over the entire valley with a fine-toothed comb. So far, their search had yielded no results.

"Hey Tobi-kun! I think I found something!" The voice of his good friend suddenly shouted excitedly. The Suiton user rushed over to where the Uchiha was. What he saw shocked him.

The rocky ground of the valley was filled with giant gashes and scorch marks. Wildly-shaped trees dotted the landscape; stones were scattered everywhere and what ground did not have these marks was soaking wet. It was obvious to everyone that a battle had gone on here recently. "What…happened here?" the younger Senju stammered.

"Man, this place is a wreck! It's like the Great Shinobi War all over again!" Makoto exclaimed; she had seen devastation on that grand a scale only during the war. To think that her good friend was involved was unbelievable.

_(Valley of the End, Other Side)_

Daisuke whistled as he beheld the utter destruction the Valley had recently gone through. Everything was destroyed or nearly unrecognizable; in fact, the only way they could tell they were in the right place was the gigantic waterfall. His active Byakugan scanned the area. "Mito-sama, my eyes are detecting traces of Katon (Fire Release) and Mokuton (Wood Release) jutsu. There also seem to be remnants of Suiton (Water Release) and Doton (Earth Release); the gash marks on the ground seem to be filled with potent chakra as well."

The redheaded woman nodded and looked at her partner. He had the typical long hair and white eyes of the Hyuga clan, but that was where it ended. He was a relatively young man, about twenty-five years old. He wore the standard samurai-like armor that was dark-blue in color; underneath this he wore a pale gold-colored battle kimono and matching hakama. A daito was slung on his back; he preferred kenjutsu to the Jyuken that the remainder of his clan used.

"The Katon traces are obviously from Madara-teme's jutsus. The Mokuton, Suiton and Doton traces must be Hashirama-koi's techniques. The chakra in the gashes is the same type as my Biju's; Madara must have summoned it at some point. Do you detect their chakra signatures?"

The Hyuga shook his head. "I'm picking up a strong Suiton-type chakra signature as well as a Katon-type; they're at the bottom of the waterfall. Those are probably Tobirama-sempai's and Makoto-san's signatures. But I cannot see the life-force normally emitted by Hokage-sama nor do I detect Madara's Sharingan."

Mito sighed dejectedly. "I guess they're not here then. We'd better go over to where the others are; perhaps they've found something," she said. Daisuke nodded and they both left in a swirl of leaves.

_(Valley of the End, Bottom of the Waterfall)_

Tobirama and Makoto stood there with their squads waiting for the others to show up. When they did, they rushed over to them. "Have you found anything?" the Uzumaki asked.

The white-haired man shook his head. "We saw only the destroyed earth. Whatever happened here must have been devastating."

Makoto decided to elaborate. "We did find traces of a weird type of chakra; it resembles that of the Sharingan, but much fouler. Maybe Madara-teme used the Mangekyo he obtained; he kept boasting about its abilities to us right before we kicked him to the curb."

Daisuke was curious. "Elaborate."

"Well, up until the whole 'exile' thing Madara-teme was obsessed with getting the Mangekyo Sharingan he'd read about in some texts about the Rikudo Sennin (Sage of the Six Paths). Then a few days ago, we found out that he'd killed a close family member of his, maybe his brother or cousin or something, and got those blasted eyes. Then as you guys know he got a big head and decided that he could lead Konoha better than Hokage-sama. He talked often about a move that could teleport stuff to another dimension; maybe he used that to win the fight," she finished, proud of herself. That feeling was quickly gone when she noticed the angry glares that Mito and Daisuke leveled at her.

"Are you saying that Madara used this move to teleport my brother to another dimension?"

The young Uchiha nodded. "It's likely. And since the teme's chakra doesn't leave the valley, I assume that maybe he got caught in his own jutsu. Serves him right."

Mito looked ready to blow her top while Daisuke narrowed his eyes. Tobirama quickly decided to intervene before any bloodshed could occur; it was no secret that the Uzumaki and Hyuga clans did not get along with the Uchiha. "Let's not fight here. We must go back to the village; then we can decide where we can go from there."

Mito's blue eyes and Daisuke's white eyes bored holes into Makoto's Sharingan as they continued to glare at one another. "Hai," they said, glares never leaving their faces as they vanished in shunshins.

A/N: Here's the next chapter. R & R, please! *uses a Gate Crystal*


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Jutsu/Magic: Jutsu

Normal Speech: "Yo."

Demon/Monster Speech: **"Yo."**

Thoughts: '_Yo'_

Tobirama and his group of volunteers returned to the gates after an exhausting search. They had remained in the valley for several more hours in the slight hope that the Hokage or at least Madara would show up again. Needless to say, those hopes were quickly dashed.

The Suiton user glanced nervously at Mito. The woman had remained uncharacteristically quiet throughout the entire ordeal. He knew what that silence meant; it was a silence that promised pain to anyone who dared to interact with her. Upon their return to Konoha, she dashed off to the house she shared with her fiancé. No one dared to enter the complex.

There was no mistake; everyone was downcast at the fact that their young village's leader remained MIA. An emergency meeting had been called; the entire village's clan heads were expected to be there, as were the important civilians. The entire thing was Tobirama's idea; since his brother was absent he was the only one who could lead.

He entered the Hokage's office, which was temporarily being used as a meeting hall. He stood up in front of the large desk and shouted, "Everyone, calm down! This emergency meeting has been called to order!" No one was paying attention, instead preferring to chatter among themselves and spread wild rumors. The white-haired man was slowly growing a tick mark on his head.

"Tobirama-sama, if I may? I know how to calm them down," said a brown-haired man with slightly tanned skin. His name was Umino Isaku; he was the young head of a small ninja clan famous for a certain jutsu that could be used for intimidation or crowd control. The Senju nodded; an ability like his was sorely needed at the moment.

Isaku quietly formed a handsign and then performed his technique. "EVERYONE SHUT THE HELL UP! TOBIRAMA-SAMA IS TRYING TO TALK!" This was the Umino clan's infamous Big Head No Jutsu; no one, not even the Akimichi clan, knew how to perform the move. It was shockingly effective at forcing people to calm down; such was the case here, as everyone shrank back in fear from the young clan head. "Tobirama-sama, you may continue."

The Suiton user nodded appreciatively; Isaku was one of his most trusted chunin, though in truth he was chunin in name only. He was actually high jonin in strength; he was a chunin only because he requested to remain one. That way he could remain teaching at the academy; the Umino loved his position there. "Thank you, Isaku-san. As I am sure you know, my brother, the Hokage of this village, went off to fight Madara Uchiha some hours ago and has not returned. Mito-sama had stated he was to be found at the Valley of the End, a fact we confirmed in our search of that place. Unfortunately, we could find no traces of either Hashirama or Madara. That means our village is left with no leader; it is of utmost importance for us to appoint a new one."

The people in the room erupted in chatter at the news. They knew that, as Konoha was at the moment, they were vulnerable to attack from any of the other villages. Chokichi Akimichi then spoke up with his loud voice. "Who is it going to be? We have no way of appointing a Hokage at the moment; Hokage-sama disappeared before he had a chance to fully write down the rules concerning succession."

"I say that we, as residents of Konohagakure, take a vote and the one with the most votes will be the effective leader of the village, at least until Hokage-sama returns," said Daisuke. This earned the approving nods of the people in the room; they had expected the Hyuga to make a levelheaded suggestion. They were famous for their composure, after all.

"I agree. If this village is going to survive we need a leader as soon as possible. A good leader needs to be strong as well as wise. Make sure that your choice has these qualities; when you have chosen, write down the name of the one you chose on a slip of paper and put it in this box. In one hour, we will tally up the votes. You are dismissed," said Tobirama. The crowd complied and dispersed.

"Are you sure that's a good idea? Letting those people have a say in what goes on here?" Makoto asked.

"They live here in Konoha. It is only fair that they have a say in what goes on in the village where they make their home," replied the Suiton user. He was familiar with Makoto's distrust of the civilians, though he was confident in their ability to make good decisions. "It is not like you to worry, Makoto-chan. You are usually so confident, if not a little arrogant."

"Ugh, I know. Still, we're a ninja village; you know as well as I do that a shinobi's life is unpredictable at best. What if they pick someone who's unfit for the job?"

"I do not think that they will; I know that civilians cherish one thing above all the rest. This one thing will steer them towards the right decision," he said.

The Uchiha woman looked at him with onyx-black eyes. "What thing is that?"

"Security. They want to be safe above all. Thus they will pick the one who is most able to protect them," he answered, causing Makoto to raise her eyebrow at him.

"That means they'll either pick you or Mito-sama. Everyone here knows that you two are the strongest shinobi in the village; it wouldn't surprise me if you were picked to be acting Hokage," stated the Uchiha. "Well, you know my choice. Anyway, I have to go back; my family's scrambling to select the new clan head and they'll be furious if I'm late. Again." She left in a swirl of leaves.

When he was finally alone, Tobirama sighed. He prayed with all his heart that his brother would return soon; the village, and especially his bride-to-be, needed him. _Wherever you are, I hope that you're safe, onii-san._

_(South Bank Village, Next Morning)_

Hashirama stood at the exit to the village, a sad smile on his face. This was the last time he would see this place; it left an unexpected tug on his heart. Perhaps he had grown attached to it. Darius stood next to him, kissing his wife goodbye. The village's elder then approached the Senju.

"It saddens us that you're leaving. But we understand your reasoning; were any of us in your position, we would want to return as well. All of us pray for your success," the elder said, nodding his head.

The young Hokage bowed in return. "Arigato. I am thankful for the time I spent here; I shall never forget it."

The old man smiled. "See that you don't. But before you go, I have a present to give you; it is a gift from all of us," he said, motioning for Arryl to hand him a long wooden box. Hashirama took the box and opened it.

Nestled inside was the most beautiful sword he had ever seen. The handle was short, fit only for one hand, but it was wrapped by a long black ribbon. The pommel was capped by a small piece of onyx which shone with uncommon radiance. Its blade was about two feet in length; it was hollowed out when the blade neared the tsuba, which was made of silver and had a flower pattern on it. The part of the blade that was not hollowed out was a deep purplish-pink in color; on the side was the engraved the kanji for 'Sakura-Saezuri.'

He recognized it; it was one of the splendid ninja swords that the merchant had been showing off. Of all the blades, this was the one that captured his interest. "H-how did you get this sword?"

The elder chuckled. "We pooled our money together to buy it for you. You seemed so dead-set on having it that we thought it would be a grand gesture to give it to you as a final gift. Do you like it?"

Hashirama gave the blade a few practice swings; the weapon seemed to be a superior version of the common tanto or chokuto that most shinobi used. It was very lightweight and, as he tested by using a conjured log, quite sharp. "It is amazing. Thank you, all of you," he said before taking out a scroll and sealing his new sword inside it.

The elder raised an eyebrow momentarily before smiling a kind smile. "I never HAVE gotten used to all the wondrous things you can do. Our thoughts and prayers go out to you. May you find all that you're looking for. Godspeed."

With that, the Senju bid goodbye to the village that had been kind to him. He did not know what was waiting for him across the desert sands, but he hoped that it was a way to get home.

_(Rabanastre East Gate, 2 PM)_

Hashirama sighed as he waited for his companion at the eastern gate of the city. When they had arrived, he was astounded at the sheer variety of the people he saw. Not just ordinary people (or Humes as they were known here), but there were also several of those 'bangaa' folks as well as several others he could not identify.

Darius then walked up to his friend. "Hashirama, we can go in now. I've got the business with the Imperials straightened out."

As the pair walked, the Senju turned to his companion. "If you do not mind me asking, why are those men in armor referred to as Imperials? I thought that this was an independent kingdom."

Darius replied, "It is, or was at least. Several years ago, a country known as the Archadian Empire invaded Dalmasca (that is, the kingdom we're currently in) and took control of it. Since then, they've maintained their presence here. A few weeks ago, their consul even arrived here to oversee this place."

"I see. Do the people resent their presence here?"

"Not the people that here in the actual city. Those that live in the Lowtown, that is, the underground part of the city, are more open about their hatred for the Archadians. Most of them live there only because they lost everything in the invasion or are considered 'undesirable' by the rest of the populace. They have a major axe to grind," said the desert-dweller.

"…I see. From what I can see, one barely notices their presence at all," Hashirama observed. Indeed, he saw that most of the people walking around were content to ignore the armored men.

"That's because they've gotten used to them being here; it doesn't mean that they're particularly wanted. I myself don't really care about them since I live in the desert. The only Imperials out there are on border patrol and are happy to ignore us for the most part," he said, casually dismissing the subject with a wave. "Now come on. It's hot out here and I'm parched; how about we go to the Sandsea for a drink? My treat."

"That would be most welcome. It is much too hot, even with all of this shade around. And I don't want to create any extra trees or use a Suiton release; it would reveal me to all of these people, and the fewer who know the better."

The desert dweller tapped his chin in thought for a bit before replying, "You'll need to learn magick then. I'll take you to Yugri's after we've had a drink; it's a shop selling all kinds of magick."

About thirty minutes later, the pair had made it a section of the city called the East End. During that time, the Mokuton user took any opportunity he could to ask the locals about any people that looked like him. Sadly, he was informed by a Moogling moogle that those folks were long gone. He allowed his shoulders to slump in defeat; he had lost one of his only leads. Darius was quick to notice his friend's desperation and fairly dragged him into the Sandsea, which turned out to be a tavern.

The busy throngs of people outside matched the busy atmosphere inside. People walked to and fro, either delivering drinks or receiving them, or just making a spectacle of themselves. The two were sitting at a table drinking some Bhujerban Madhu (which was, in Hashirama's honest opinion, far stronger than sake) when another man approached the table.

"Hey Darius! Long time no see! How've you been?"

"I've been alright, just takin' care of the old homestead! Oh, and this is my new friend Hashirama. He was lost in desert when I rescued him," the desert dweller said, gesturing to the red-armored man sitting next to him. The young Hokage nodded in greeting.

"Hello there Hashirama. My name's Tomaj. It's nice to meet ya," he said, holding out his hand in greeting, which the other man took. "What's your business here in our fair city? You don't look like you're from around here."

"I am from a village named Konohagakure. It's somewhere in the Far East. I came here because I was hoping that there would be people here who could guide me back home. Do you know anything of them?"

"Well, there was a group of folks that looked a little like you here just a few weeks ago. They were on some sort of business trip, but they left rather quickly. Sorry," the man apologized. "But, the Moogling fellas hear all kinds of things; if you can find out anything about anyone, they're the folks to go to."

"I have already talked to them. They had no new information for me," replied Hashirama.

"Well, I'm sorry to hear that. But listen, moogles and street rumors aren't the only ways of gathering information. I happen to be member of a clan whose boss has been around the block a few times; if you talk to him you might find what you're looking for," stated Tomaj. "But it won't be easy. Finding the clan house alone is a difficult task. Not to mention that even if you do find it you have to have the approval of the other members to join."

"Cut the drama will ya? This guy here has saved my life more times than I can count. If that doesn't qualify him for membership nothing will," responded Darius.

"Forty-seven. I have saved your life exactly forty-seven times, not counting the time that we both tricked the brown chocobo into falling into the Nebra," added the Senju, causing his friend to sweatdrop.

Tomaj chuckled at the display. "Alright. Since you've repeatedly saved the life of a member of the clan, that qualifies you for entry to the clan house. You'll still have to find it on your own though, and whether or not you're accepted will be up to the boss. Understand?"

Hashirama nodded; he was familiar with these types of searching missions. He then got up and left the tavern in search of his objective. After he had done this, Darius and Tomaj remained behind, talking. "So, do you think that guy is gonna find it?"

"It might take him a while, but he'll definitely find it; I've seen his skills out in the desert. He's great at scouting out things and finding them; he can do things that would blow your mind if you saw them. I predict it won't even be an hour before he finds the right place. In fact, I'm betting fifty gil on him," replied the desert dweller with every bit of confidence in his friend.

"You're on. I hope that you're ready to lose your money," jabbed the tavern owner, ribbing his fellow clanner.

_(Rabanastre East End, Five Minutes Later)_

Hashirama paced around a shop's banner that read 'Batahn's Technicks'. He silently wondered how he was going to find this place. '_Hm. Tomaj-san said that the clan house was hidden somewhere in this city; the only problem is that this city is massive! Probably bigger than Konoha! It'll take me all day to search it! The only way to search the entire thing quickly is…eureka!'_

He quickly dodged into a side alley that was completely devoid of any other people. Forming a handsign, he quickly called out his technique. "Moku Bunshin No Jutsu (Wood Clone Technique)!"

Instantly, there were four clone of Hashirama, each made entirely of wood which three of them quickly disguised with a henge. "Alright. I want you four to spread out and find any information you can about a clan house. Be sure to stay out of sight and most importantly, do not use any Mokuton abilities; I do not want anyone getting curious about my powers. Understood?"

The four clones saluted the original and shouted, "Hai!" With that, three of the clones ran out of the alley in different directions, making sure to follow orders. The fourth clone fused itself with one of the palm trees in the area and travelled along the abundant vegetation, leaving the wood user by himself.

'_It's time to go search for my objective. I hope that I find it soon; it won't do to keep my friends waiting,' _thought the young Hokage. He vanished in a swirl of leaves and reappeared on the roof of one of the buildings.

'_Now, where do I start? I sent the clones to search the large southern plaza as well as the western end of the city. The rest of the eastern end as well as the bazaar is already being searched by my clone fused into the trees.'_

Then a thought occurred to him. _'I have not yet looked in the northern end of the city. Darius said that the way to the royal palace is there. Perhaps the clan house is hiding in plain sight? If that is the case, it's an excellent hiding spot; out in the open where everyone can see it but no one does because they are too busy. Well, I have an exhausting search ahead of me. Best to start immediately."_

Without any further delay, Hashirama vanished once again in his classic Shunshin, leaving behind only a small pile of leaves to indicate he had been there.

On the ground, a young viera woman looked up into the sky near where Hashirama had just been. _'Hm. I detect a slight rise in the Wood's power. But what is she doing here of all places? This merits further research.' _With that, the young woman walked off in search of the odd power signature.

A/N: And that's the next chapter. I hope you all have just as much fun reading it as I did writing it. Goodbye for now! Unknownbyself, away! *vanishes in a swirl of water*


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Jutsu/Magic: Jutsu

Normal Speech: "Yo."

Demon/Monster Speech: **"Yo."**

Thoughts: '_Yo'_

Hashirama walked back and forth in front of the Aerodrome, drawing some curious looks from passersby. This was not the real him, of course: it was one of the four Moku Bunshins that he had sent out to comb the city. The wooden clone had asked everyone in the vicinity about where the clans were, only to receive some very obvious and/or useless information.

This fruitless search actually angered the clone and he decided to drop the henge in front of everybody, earning some shocked looks in the process. Naturally, that had immediately gone against what his boss had told him, but the clone decided to try a radical new idea. By dropping its disguise, the clone 'showed off' its considerable talents and drew the attentions of the Imperial soldiers as well as talent scouts.

It would then use the attention to glean information about clan activity. It was a brilliantly simple plan, though the original would not be happy about having some of his skills revealed to all. The clone (let's call him Ichi) considered the price to be worth it when he asked a scruffy-looking man about the clans. "Yeah, I've heard o' one, name's Clan Centurion or somethin' like that. They's supposed to be in the North End, I think. You are lookin' to join 'em?"

The clone nodded in the affirmative and vanished in a swirl of leaves, surprising the gathered crowd as they had not expected that sort of abrupt ending. Several members of the crowd whispered to one another that perhaps he was some sort of sorcerer; that was surprisingly close to the truth.

Meanwhile, Ichi went to a secluded portion of the Southern Plaza and fused himself permanently with one of the palms, passing on the information he had learned to the original as well as dispelling the other clones.

_(Muthru Bazaar)_

Synneva walked along the stone steps leading down to the Bazaar; she had been following the fluctuations of power in the city and one signature had led her to this place. She was still unused to seeing such a lively scene; she had only recently left her home in the Wood. Even so, she was still rather sensitive to slight changes in nature.

This made it easy for her to track the strange power that seemed to be in multiple places at once. She raised one silver eyebrow when the signatures suddenly disappeared; it was as though they had vanished into thin air. "Hm, that is strange. The power I had been tracking has vanished. Where could it have gone?"

The young woman (hard to tell with viera) walked absentmindedly along the stone pavement when she suddenly tripped and fell over. She picked herself up gracefully (is there any other way for a viera to do things?) and found that her foot had been caught in the roots of an oddly-placed tree that was growing randomly at the bottom of the stairs.

She briefly wondered how no one would notice such a thing; after all, the tree was of medium height and thus very noticeable, especially since it seemed so out of place. She got her answer when a passerby tripped over the same roots and said, "Huh? I don't remember this tree being here the other day…maybe I just never noticed it…" The man then picked himself up, albeit with much less grace, and gave it no more thought as he continued on his way.

Putting her hand to her chin, she walked around the base of the tree. It was unlike any other tree she had encountered in the city thus far: it was shorter, but the trunk was far sturdier and the leaves afforded a great deal more shade. It reminded her of the huge oaks back in her old home, though shorter and smaller. She reached out and delicately touched the trunk.

Instantly she was flooded by strange images: a black-haired man in bizarre armor giving someone orders, a fearsome monster with nine tails, a redheaded woman with writing on her stomach, a white-haired man who could manipulate water, and another black-haired man with strange red eyes. She rapidly pulled her hand back, her long nails scratching the bark slightly. "What…was that? That was unlike anything I have seen before. This tree is truly strange…"

She reached out with the sixth sense that all viera had: that of spiritual awareness. With it, she found that the oak was pulsing with a powerful, almost godly, life force; it was almost equal to that of the Wood itself! It seemed as though it was imposing its will to live upon the unrelenting stone of its surroundings. But that was impossible. The Wood was nowhere near the area, so how did this tree possess so much strength?

Synneva put her hand to her chin in thought. '_This tree possesses the same power that the mother Wood has. It matches that of the one I have been tracking. Perhaps she has sent out an emissary into the outside world? No, that is quite unlikely…but it is the only plausible solution. I shall continue to seek out this power. Perhaps it will yield some answers.' _With those thoughts in mind, she gently touched the tree one last time and walked up a flight of stairs towards the North End.

_(North End)_

Perched atop the balcony of a high apartment building (the place had not tenants as of yet), Hashirama scanned his surroundings for any sign of clan activity; he was also waiting for word from his clones. He got his wish when he suddenly received the memories of each clone. Ni, San, and Shi had no new information, though their memories revealed many details about life in the city. Unfortunately that information, though interesting, was of little value to his search.

Then the memories of Ichi came flooding in. "Okay, so they are definitely in this area; at least that narrows down my search. It is time to get a move on." With that, he jumped down in a very dramatic manner, earning curious looks and cheers from the passersby. He bowed to them quickly and ran off to find his objective.

He did not use all of the speed at his disposal, but he kept up a very respectable pace, at least for a ninja. The ordinary people merely saw him as a red-and-black blur. He passed by a group of Imperials who were engaged in a training exercise, marching together in formation; he briefly thought about how much they reminded him of the samurai from Tetsu No Kuni (Iron Country).

He stopped at the top of a flight of stairs that led downwards into some sort of stone courtyard connected to a wide pathway. There was a large gate shutting off a large part of the path; the information his clones had gathered informed him that this was the way to the Royal Palace, which was currently in use as the Imperial consul's home.

He sat down briefly to catch his breath; his search had gone on for thirty minutes. At least he had a lead now; that was better than nothing, he supposed. He turned around to look at the people walking around in their own little worlds; they reminded him of the people back in Konoha. There was a brief moment of hilarity when a pair of Imperial soldiers chased a rotund, feathered ball that turned out to be some sort of bird.

After resting for a brief five minutes (the man is a trained shinobi; he knows how to make the best of his time), he got up and resumed his search, this time at a fast walk as opposed to a straight-up run. As he walked, he heard one of the bangaa folks talking rather loudly to his friend. Okay, they were actually just whispering; he pushed some chakra to his ears to hear what they were talking about. "Hey, how'd your hunt go?"

"Bah, blasted thing avoided me again. I'm thinkin' of asking Clan Centurio for help. There's no way I'm gonna be able to capture that stupid thing on my own."

"You sure about that? The clanners are a mean bunch."

"Yeah, but there's no one better at huntin' things. I just can't believe how well they hid themselves. I mean, the only way to tell they're even there is by the blasted sign right in front of their clan house. It's ridiculous! And the doorman is so surly 'e might as well be guardin' treasure or something!"

The Mokuton user quickly cut off the chakra to his ears. He had struck gold! Now all he had to do was look for a large building with a suspicious sign in front of it. He grinned as he remembered passing a building exactly like that one just a few minutes ago. He doubled back and quickly found his destination. Unfortunately, there was an obstacle in his way.

He could see several Imperial soldiers harassing a tall, dark-skinned woman with what appeared to be rabbit ears on the top of her head. She resembled a Kumo native, except for the fact that she sported silver hair as opposed to the customary blonde of those people. Oh, and also the ears. "What is the meaning of this? Why are all of you harassing this poor woman?"

The soldiers as well as the woman in question turned to look at him. One Imperial spoke up in a gruff voice, "Get lost will you? We're in the middle of something rather important here!" The other soldiers grunted their approval. "This lady here was lonely so we thought we'd show her a good time!"

"And as I have told all of you before, I appreciate the offer but I must decline. However, none of you seem to understand that," the woman responded. "And yet you would not desist."

"We're just trying to be friendly to you folks! It's not our fault that you hicks would refuse such an offer!"

"Your offer is friendly at first glance, but it is easy to discern your true motives. You intend to take advantage of this woman. I apologize but, I cannot allow you to proceed," Hashirama stated, putting himself between the woman and the armored men. "Now I will ask you to please leave her be. You will gain nothing from annoying her."

"Then we'll arrest you lot for disturbin' the peace! Johnson, apprehend them!" The soldier in question grabbed the woman's wrists and made to cuff them, but was knocked back by a glowing yellow fist connecting with his temples. The blow was strong enough to dent the man's helmet and knock him out completely.

"I believe I asked you to leave the lady alone. You should have been smart enough to comply. Now you made me resort to violence," the Senju said, his fist glowing faintly as he drew it back. "Now one last time: Please leave this woman alone, or I shall do much worse to you than what I did to this poor fellow," he stated, pointing to the knocked-out man.

After seeing what the red-armored man had done to one of their best, the soldiers grabbed their unconscious comrade and beat a hasty retreat. The woman then turned towards the wood user. "Thank you for your assistance. Those men would have not left me alone had you not intervened. My name is Krjs. What is yours?"

"I am Hashirama Senju. I was merely looking for certain building that my friend Darius told me about when I saw them harassing you. I am happy to help anytime," the man said, smiling.

"Darius told you to look for a building? As in, that belonging to a clan?" she asked, getting a nod of confirmation in return. "Then Tomaj must have approved of you as well. I know the place you are looking for. Come with me, I shall take you there."

He nodded and followed the viera, eager but at the same time uncertain of what was going to happen.

_(Clan Centurio Headquarters)_

Montblanc paced back and forth atop the high balcony that looked over the large foyer in the clan house. The moogle, like all others of his kind, was short, standing at only about three feet, nine inches tall. He wore a green long-sleeved coat with gold trim and white ruffles on the collar and cuffs, giving him a noble appearance; this was complimented by a pair of brown leather pants and short leather boots. His hair was a golden blonde in color and went well with his tawny fur and dark amethyst eyes.

His whiskers twitched and his wings fluttered as he was nervously awaiting the return of one of his finest huntresses; Ma'kenroh repeatedly told him that she would be fine, but he just couldn't help himself. After what happened to him in the past, he would be damned before he allowed himself to lose another comrade.

"Where is she? It's not like her to be late, kupo!"

The wise old nu mou merely shook his head. "For the umpteenth time Montblanc, she's going to be here. You have NOTHING to worry about; she can take care of herself."

The moogle huffed impatiently. "I know kupo but, I just can't help it! It's all just too much. I'm already thirty-four years old, kupo. I'm not a young guy anymore…"

Montblanc was cut off by the large door at the entrance opening with a loud groan. Krjs stepped through the door; she looked a little worse for wear but was otherwise fine. She stepped into the building in the casual manner she was accustomed to, with a strange man in tow.

He ran up to the viera woman and hugged her tightly. "Krjs! I'm so glad you're safe, kupo! I was so worried about you! What took you so long, kupo?"

Krjs chuckled heartily. "Relax, boss. While I am flattered by your concern, there is no need to worry. I can take care of myself."

"I know kupo. But I can't help but to worry; I thought something untoward had happened to you and-who's this?" he inquired, pointing to the shinobi standing behind her.

"This is Hashirama. He assisted me in driving off some troublesome individuals. He also wishes to join our clan," she said.

"He does? Well, we don't let just anyone into out clan, kupo. You've got to prove yourself to us first," said the moogle, scanning the wood user with a critical eye. "He looks like an experienced warrior, but I haven't seen him fight, so I can't be sure."

"I assure you, I am possessed of large amount of battlefield experience. I have fought in a war before, against powerful individuals no less. Darius can vouch for me; I have saved his life on multiple occasions." That statement shocked the other clan members.

Montblanc raised a blonde eyebrow. "You carry yourself like a true warrior, but I don't mean to offend you, kupo, but that seems unlikely, though I don't doubt your toughness. Darius is one of our best hunters, kupo. He's been fighting monsters for years."

"It's true, boss. He's saved me exactly forty-seven times. In fact, I've seen him fight and I can safely say that he's one of the strongest fighters I've ever seen. I think he's from the Far East," stated Darius, walking through the large doorway. "Tomaj also owes me fifty gil."

The moogle raised both eyebrows this time and then smiled widely. "Really, kupo? That's really cool! I've always wanted an Easterner to join our clan! Welcome to Clan Centurio!" At this, the other clanners erupted in cheers, except Krjs who merely smirked, and Monid who simply scoffed.

Montblanc's voice then cut into the uproar. "Now, kupo, what's your specialty? Everyone in the clan has something that they specialize in. for example, Krjs here is great at tracking down marks and eliminating them, and Tomaj serves as our talent scout. What can you do kupo?"

The Senju crossed his arms in thought. '_Hm, what do I tell him? As a shinobi, I'm capable of doing stealth and assassination missions with ease, but I am also handy in straight-up combat. Not to mention that I can track foes with the best of them and I've even got some medical experience…I know what to tell him now.'_

"I am a ninja. Tracking foes is something I've been able to do since I was young, and as Darius can attest, I am quite handy in combat as well. I also have basic medical knowledge and I excel at infiltration. Stealth is also among my list of talents. You have not made a mistake by allowing me to join," finished the shinobi.

The blonde smiled. "I hope so kupo. I hope so. Now, I've been informed that there's been a small outbreak of Sleipnir in the area just outside of the city, out in the Westersand. I'm gonna send you out to take care of them, kupo. If you're really as strong as Darius here claims, you shouldn't have any problems handling them by yourself."

Hashirama nodded. "Hai." He turned around and left the building. He hoped that this assignment was just the thing he needed to prove himself to the others. After that, he could ask them about ways to get back home. After all, if they had the ability to teleport, why would interdimensional travel be out of their reach?

Back in the clan house, Ma'kenroh turned to his longtime friend. "Are you certain that it was a good idea to allow him to join us? All you have to go on is Darius's word; as trustworthy as he is, he tends to exaggerate things."

Montblanc shook his head. "He does, but I didn't detect any of that when he spoke, kupo. The new guy appears to be really strong; Monid, Bansat and Krjs need the competition. And besides, you said the same thing when I hired that boy Vaan and his companions; the way they handled the Cluckatrice and the Rocktoise was quite impressive."

The nu mou sighed in defeat. "I suppose you're right. That boy and his group did turn out great. Perhaps the new fellow will turn out fine as well."

The moogle's response was a devilish grin. "Of course he will. I've got a great eye for talent after all."

Ma'kenroh chuckled. "Yes you do. And your recruitment methods are a little…unique. Remember how you tried to get that hunter Cheney to join? If I remember correctly, that plan involved a Snake Shield, some ice cream, an alchemist's cauldron, and Ride of the Valkyries." When he finished, he let out low, rumbling laughter.

The moogle snorted. "It went about as well as your plan to get Eldena. Elda's Cup was a good idea, but unfortunately the cooked rabbit and snake skin weren't." The two continued on and on, just regaling each other with humorous stories.

Neither the clanners nor the black-haired shinobi notice the young viera quietly stalking the area.

A/N: Sorry for the lack of Konoha action this chapter, but I needed to set up some important plot in Ivalice. Next chapter, there's a hunt, and Konoha has a new (acting) Hokage! Unknownbyself, away! *sinks into the ground*


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

_(Rabanastre Westgate)_

After a quick debriefing, Hashirama dashed off towards the west before realizing he could just take the Moogling; he facepalmed as he returned to the area near the Sandsea and took the teleporter. He returned to the Aerodrome and immediately headed out into the Westersand despite the warnings from several passersby.

The wood user instantly regretted his haste as he shielded his eyes from the harsh swirling sands; it reminded him of the time he and several of his friends were caught in a ferocious sandstorm just outside the young Suna village. He could barely see five feet in front of him, let alone any enemies. _'I should have just waited.' _Hashirama sighed as he put one of his hands on his hips. '_I guess there is no going back. Now that I'm here I might as well complete the objective Montblanc-sempai gave me. But what is a 'Sleipnir'?_' He then walked forward slowly, making sure to carefully watch for enemies.

He plowed on like this for about an hour and a half, dispatching any foes who dared to draw near, including seven Alraune, fifteen wolves, five cactoids (all of them accidentally provoked), and two angry Urstrix. Much to his relief, the sandstorm's strength began to wane as the fierce winds died down, revealing his location.

He was standing on a rocky outcrop that towered over a sheer cliff face lined with sharp barrel-shaped cacti at the bottom. The outcrop he was standing on made it easy to scout the entire area. Hashirama could see that he was about eight kilometers from the western gate of Rabanastre, and there were about ten kilometers from his position to a nearby cave.

A brief look around revealed the area populated by various monsters, though none were populous enough to warrant his attention. He did not know what a Sleipnir was, but from the information he had gathered from Montblanc, the species was infesting the area around the Westersand, making it difficult for merchants to enter the city. He then saw a group of new monsters in the distance.

The majority of the beasts resembled large horses dressed in battle armor; they reminded him of the armored and decorated horses used by the samurai he had encountered in the past. However, what clearly gave the horses away as monsters rather than as domesticated beasts were their bizarre coloration (What kind of horse is purple?) and the sharp teeth lining the creatures' mouths. He had encountered only a few horses, but he was certain that none of them had sharp teeth.

The second creature was much harder to describe. It looked like a gigantic glowing ball of golden light about a meter in diameter, and looked like it had heavy stones floating in its brilliance. Despite its awe-inspiring appearance, the glowing ball did not appear to be aggressive, though the young Hokage knew better than to provoke a monster no matter the species. Even from a far distance, he could feel the powerful life force that the ball was giving off. Indeed, it seemed to pulse with life and power, and even seemed to be giving off large amounts of chakra.

Unfortunately for him, the ball of light was floating among the horse-like enemies; there was the risk that, should he choose to engage the enemies, the ball would see it and become aggressive. The beast had no eyes, but Hashirama suspected that it did not need any. He turned his back to leave the enemies be when he realized one very important factor.

Several years ago, when he was merely a teenager, he had been on a mission to protect a small town that constantly suffered from bandit attacks. During that mission, he came across a shop selling bizarre western artifacts, including strange objects made of paper and covered with leather. He asked the store owner what these objects were, and the man replied, "Those are books, son. They're used in the west instead of scrolls; these have been modified to read right to left like scrolls are. You want one? They're only two ryo apiece."

The young man nodded his head enthusiastically, picked out a certain tome, and paid for it. Then he sat down in one of the big western-style armchairs and began to read. The stories about a massive tree whose roots dug deep into Hell and whose branches shot up into the heavens, about a strong man who fished for a gigantic snake-like dragon, and about a horse who had six legs were entertaining, if not a little fanciful. Wait a minute!

'_The horse with six legs…what was its name again? Slonir? Slain? Solvent? No…it was…Sleipnir! That's it! The horse's name was Sleipnir! That means…_' He gulped audibly as he realized what that meant. Sleipnir was a horse's name. Those horse-like enemies were in a veritable caravan-threatening swarm…or infestation. The horse enemies must be the Sleipnir outbreak that Montblanc must have been talking about. They were the enemies that he was assigned to eliminate.

'_Kami must hate me…_' he thought as he surveyed the group. He grimaced slightly when he witnessed a gang of the horses tackle a large muscle-bound owl creature and stab it to death with their steel-armored manes. They then proceeded to eat the dead beast with their sharp teeth, causing their observer to turn a little green. He didn't care what sort of compensation the clan offered him; he was NOT paid enough for this sort of work.

Closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he meditated briefly and steeled himself for the eventual skirmish; he hoped that he could eliminate the horses before the big ball noticed. He then stood up, drew Sakura-Saezuri, and tensed himself for battle. It was then that someone tapped him on the shoulder.

All his shinobi instincts flared as he barreled around faster than the eye could see and held his blade to the offender's throat, his left fist clenched tightly in preparation for an adamantine fist attack. The figure quickly raised its arms up in alarm. "Oh, I am sorry; I did not mean to startle you."

He narrowed his eyes suspiciously; he did not live through a shinobi war by being careless, after all. "Who are you and what is your business with me?"

The figure, now revealed to be woman with similar features to Krjs, spoke hesitantly, as if afraid to make a wrong move. "M-my name is Synneva…I saw you out here by yourself and wondered what was happening…"

The shinobi visibly relaxed but did not lower his sword. She could tell that he was a trained warrior due to his reaction and demeanor; though he appeared to be relaxed she could see that nothing escaped his attention. "I am going to hunt those purple Sleipnir creatures; I was merely preparing myself for the battle."

Synneva nodded ever so slightly; she knew that with a single stroke, her head would become separate from her body. "I…wanted to ask if I could accompany you on this hunt. Only the most reckless fighters approach swarms of foes that large; you would do well to have an ally or two."

The pink blade inched closer to her jugular vein; she gurgled uncomfortably as he pressed it closer to her. "A likely story; tell me, what do you have to gain by a partnership with me? Are you a member of Clan Centurio as well?"

"N-no…I am not affiliated with any clan…I am merely a traveler who wishes to assist a fellow warrior. I have knowledge I can offer you that may prove to be indispensable…please do not kill me."

Much to her relief, Hashirama lowered the sword, though he was still tensed. "My name is Hashirama Senju. Now, what sort of information do you have?"

The viera held her left hand up to her throat to check for cuts; upon finding none, she lowered her hand and replied, "Do you see that large ball of light?" After receiving a nod for an answer, she continued. "That is known as a Gnoma Entite. Like all others of its kind, it is content merely to float, molesting nothing and no one. However, should it detect any magick being used nearby, the Entite shall turn upon them with wrathful castigations. The best way to avoid that is to not go anywhere near them but that is not an option for you, is it?"

The wood user shook his head. "My employer tasked me with eliminating the Sleipnir; I cannot just leave them to disturb the merchants who merely try to make a living."

Synneva nodded in response. "I see. We shall just have to be careful then; thankfully the Sleipnir can be easily eliminated with just physical attacks. You can use your sword; I have other means to dispose of them. Let us go," she said, drawing a bow and nocking an arrow. She then let the arrow fly; it impaled one unlucky horse in the throat, killing it instantly.

Instead of panicking, the others merely ignored its presence or feasted upon it. The viera smiled slightly. "They are not the brightest creatures; slay one and the others tend to either ignore or eat it. Their callous disregard for the safety and wellbeing of their own kind shall be their undoing."

Hashirama held up Sakura-Saezuri and charged forwards, careful not to use any chakra so as to avoid provoking the Entite or giving away his abilities to his temporary companion. Holding his sword in the traditional kenjutsu stance employed by his father, he readied himself for a bloodbath.

The next few minutes were absolute chaos. The young Hokage utilized his shinobi training to kill the Sleipnir with brutal efficiency; most of the monsters he dispatched had the classic red smile on their necks as proof of each kill. Meanwhile, his partner Synneva poured shaft after deadly shaft into their ranks, confusing the animals and preventing them from mounting a successful counterattack.

Despite the utter cacophony of whinnies, whimpers, and slashing sounds, the two hunters were careful not to provoke the Gnoma Entite; the viera knew full well what the results of angering such a monster. She absentmindedly rubbed an old scar on the back of her neck as she thought about it. While she did that, she failed to notice one particular steed rear its ugly head back, intent on impaling her with its steel-armored mane.

Hashirama quickly noticed the monster, however, and rapidly threw a single kunai at the beast, piercing its jugular and slaying it instantly. As the monster bled out, he wiped his brow of sweat and turned around to face the remainder of the monsters.

He quickly sheathed his sword (which was surprisingly blood-free) and instead pulled out a handful of shuriken and held some in each hand; the reason he did this was that the Sleipnir were beginning to panic at their rapidly-diminishing numbers, making it impossible to get close. He ran over to where Synneva was and stood next to her, projectiles at the ready.

"They panic," said the viera. "It will be nearly impossible to get close to them. The best way to eliminate them is with ranged attacks now. Are you sure that those thrown weapons of yours can kill them? They look rather weak compared to the dagger-like one you used earlier."

Hashirama nodded. "My shuriken are every bit as capable of killing those beasts as your arrows are. In fact, why don't we have a competition? We'll keep on attacking those monsters from here, and whoever kills the most will be treated to a drink at the loser's expense."

Synneva smiled. "You had best prepare your gil, then." With that, she suddenly fired off an arrow that instantly slew a Sleipnir by piercing its thickly-muscled chest and stabbing its heart.

The wood user frowned in response. "I did not say to begin," he said, throwing a handful of shuriken that turned one of the horses into a living pin cushion before killing it.

"But you never said not to. I was simply taking the initiative," she countered, another arrow lodging itself in a Sleipnir's forehead.

"Cheater," rejoined the young Hokage, a single shuriken stabbing another horse in the same place as the arrow.

The two went on like that for the next twenty minutes; they made a sport of the event. For every horse slain by an arrow, another fell to a sharp throwing star. When Hashirama ran out of shuriken, he switched to kunai which instantly made his kill count soar. Not to be outdone, Synneva redoubled her efforts, firing off arrow after arrow at twice her previous speed.

Another ten minutes passed by before every single foe was either dead or soon to be; during that time, the Gnoma Entite thankfully teleported off to who knows where. The pair snuck up to where their enemies lay and retrieved their weapons. He made sure to clean off the kunai and shuriken very carefully; after all, he did not know whether or not this world had a supply he could restock with.

The viera quietly pulled arrows from their resting places in the necks, hearts and brains of her fallen enemies, gently wiping them of blood on the monsters' hides. She gracefully requivered them and stowed away her bow. Nearby, the shinobi had cleaned off the last of his weapons and made to leave, though not without checking the bodies for valuable loot.

He surreptitiously sealed any loot he found into a blank scroll he carried for just such a purpose. Unfortunately, this action did not go unnoticed by his partner. "What did you do with those items? It is as though you simply made them disappear…"

Hashirama took his time to answer. "I…used magicks to modify the scroll so that I can use that instead of carrying them all by hand or in a spoils bag. I have found that it is much easier that way.

She nodded sagely, making the wood user sigh in relief. "There is also the matter of our little competition. How many did you fell with those weapons of yours?"

The Senju put his hand to his chin in thought. "Let's see…I think perhaps around fifty? Not counting the ones I slew with my sword. How many were felled by your bow?"

Synneva smiled widely. "I believe you owe me a drink. I counted seventy-six that were slain by my missiles; the number practically swelled like a balloon after I double my speed."

Hashirama slumped his shoulders in defeat as he began to head back. "Well, I suppose I cannot win every contest I get myself into. Come, let's go to the Sandsea. I need to congratulate the winner of the contest. Before that, however, how about you join the clan I am a member of? I'm sure that Montblanc-sempai would love to have you."

The woman gracefully shook her head as she walked back towards the city. "I am already a member of that clan. I joined them several months prior to today. But this was the first time that I have participated in a real hunt; back in my old home, I was considered too gentle to battle monsters."

He snorted. "Too gentle? What you did to those fiends was anything but. Whoever decided that about you was obviously misinformed about your abilities."

"Thank you. So, how long have you been a member? I do not recall seeing you at the clan house in my recent memory."

The wood user replied quickly. "I became a member only today. I have a friend named Darius who recommended that I join, and after a brief search, I was allowed to join. We're here," he said, gesturing to the imposing walls of Dalmasca's capital. After healing themselves at the crystal (Much to Hashirama's delight, it replenished his chakra as well as healing his wounds.), the pair went towards the Moogling moogle, a young male dressed in bright yellow (complete with matching pom-pom).

The moogle, whose name was Sorbet, greeted them cheerfully. "Hi, kupo! Welcome to the Moogling! What can I do for you, kupo?"

Synneva had to restrain herself from glomping the adorable little man; moogles had always been her weakness. She was sure that Tetran and Lulucce were still having trouble breathing easily after one too many hugs. "We need to get to the Sandsea."

Sorbet tipped his hat to them in a gesture that, by Synneva's standards, was too adorable to pass up. She was about to lose control of herself when they were lit up by the teleporter's magick. "Bye bye kupo! See you again soon!" In that instant, both the shinobi and his viera partner vanished.

When the two reappeared in front of the tavern, instead of going there right away Hashirama decided to stop by Clan Centurio's headquarters to report the results of his hunt. Montblanc greeted him as warmly as the yellow-clothed moogle did earlier. "Welcome back, kupo! So, how'd your hunt go?"

The Senju grinned widely. "Mission accomplished sempai. The Sleipnir have been disposed of; merchants can once again bring the merchandise into the city."

Montblanc clapped his hands joyfully. "I knew you could do it, kupo! I had faith in you and it paid off! Well done! Here's you reward," said the eccentric man, handing Hashirama a pouch and a small ceramic jar that resembled those used to hold sake. "That's two thousand five hundred gil and an amphora of Bacchus' Wine. You earned it. Take the rest of the night off, kupo. Just be careful on your date with Synneva; that Wine is pretty strong stuff, kupo."

Whatever good feelings the shinobi had until that moment evaporated in an instant. "H-how did you know? And we're not dating; we are merely friends."

The blonde-haired moogle chuckled warmly, a light squeaking sound that nonetheless bounced off the walls. "Let's just say that I have one ear to the grapevine at all times, kupo. And it's okay of you choose to date her; the rules of my clan are pretty relaxed compared to some other ones. Though I know you'd never betray your fiancé."

The young Hokage's eyes widened a second time. "How did you know I am engaged to be married? Are you some sort of sorcerer?"

Montblanc laughed again. "I think the proper term is black mage, kupo. But that has nothing to do with how I know; it's just that I saw the ring on your finger. Whoever is engaged to you is one lucky lady. Anyway, you can go on now. Ma'kenroh and I need to finish cleaning up this place and closing it down for the day."

Hashirama bowed before responding. "Thank you joushi (if anyone knows a better word for boss, let me know)." With that, he left in a swirl of leaves, causing the moogle to let out a low whistle.

"You certainly have a lot of different abilities, kupo. I can't wait to see what else you can do. I just hope that you remember to keep your abilities under wraps from the Imperials; I don't really want to have to deal with them, kupo. Well, I'm done; time to go home. Ma'kenroh! I'm gonna go home now! You can finish up!"

The nu mou nodded and went on with his work. When he was done, he left and closed the door, leaving the clan house to wait silently until the next day.

A/N: After the responses to last chapter, I decided to scrap Konoha for now, though it won't be completely gone. Also, a big thank you to everyone who chose to Fave or Follow my story! Stay tuned for the next exciting installment of Unfamiliar Territory! Unknownbyself, away! *Shunshins*


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

_(The Sandsea)_

Hashirama downed another drink as Synneva and Tomaj looked on with equal parts horror, amusement, and shock; neither of them could believe that the shinobi had consumed as many drinks as he had. Darius had (stupidly) bet that he could outdrink the young Hokage; he was now regretting his mistake as he watched his friend drink down glass after glass.

The wood user had been enjoying a round of drinks with his newest companion when the boisterous desert dweller had appeared from nowhere. The current score sat at nine glasses of Bhujerban madhu for Darius, and a shocking seventeen for the Senju. As he drank, Hashirama noted that his vision began to cloud and his better judgment seemed to have left him.

For their part, the duo watching them was truly amazed at their friends' sheer stupidity. "Madhu's not something to take lightly; it's not meant to be drunk that way. Those fellows are going to regret doing this tomorrow."

Synneva shook her head in disappointment, though the grin on her face ruined the effect. "I believe that they are regretting it now. Look at Darius," she gestured towards the brown-haired man who was currently trying to hit on a beautiful lady who, minus the 'beer goggle' effect, turned out to be the hunt board.

"This fellow's not doing much better," supplied Tomaj, jerking his thumb towards the red-armored man who was crying his eyes out over a spilled drink which he proclaimed was his 'lady love'.

The pair of drunks then turned towards each other. The Konoha shinobi lurched drunkenly towards his friend, who stumbled forwards at an impressive speed (for a drunk). They looked at each other for a brief, tension-filled moment. "Huh? Who who are y-you? what' ya doin herrr?" Darius asked, holding his arms in front of him in the boxer's posture.

Hashirama looked around quickly. "Eh? Wherrryouyousonovabitch? I'm gonna find you then I'm a goin to…to…to…hurt you. Yeah, thassit. Hurt you," he stammered, settling into a stance that appeared sloppy and malformed.

Back in Konoha, everyone knew that the elder Senju avoided alcoholic drinks like the plague because of his unique condition. What condition? Few knew the true reason, and those who did were sworn to secrecy. The truth was that it took a LOT of alcohol to intoxicate the wood user, but that wasn't the secret. The secret was that if he somehow DID manage to get drunk, he became essentially invincible.

Tobirama was actually the one who discovered the secret; while he was drunk, not only did his brother not feel any pain, but his attacks were also much more powerful (even more so than they already were) and his drunken stumbling ruined his opponents' aim. He christened the style Suiken, or Drunken Fist; the style was immediately labeled a kinjutsu (Forbidden Technique) and its secrets were locked within the Forbidden Scroll. It wasn't due to the fact that one needed to be drunk to use the style effectively, but it was actually because of the sheer amount of property damage caused by its use.

This costly aspect of the style proved apparent when the drunken shinobi put his fist through a table where Darius's head had just been, had Tomaj not pulled him away in time.

Hashirama then proceeded to engage a nearby table full of thugs in a fistfight; at least, that's what it would have been had the ruffians had the chance to fight back. Each thug was swiftly knocked out with a well-placed punch or haphazardly-thrown kick.

One man tried to skewer the shinobi with his sword but the drunk contorted his body to avoid the attack; the other patrons cringed as the man was rapidly kneed where any man is loath to be hit. Another who had pulled out a dagger was swiftly punched in the jaw, then lifted upwards and slammed headfirst into the stone floor of the tavern. His head was firmly planted into the ground; he would not be able to extract himself without assistance.

It went on like that for the next few minutes; thugs angry about his beatdown of their friends rushed him only to meet the same fate. The aftermath of the fight left the Sandsea in ruins, near enough: tables were overturned or smashed outright, glasses were broken, and there was a man whose head was planted firmly in the ground.

"It looks like a hurricane passed through here," remarked Tomaj. "I'll have to close the pub temporarily to clean it all up. Not to mention the tables need to be replaced. Still, it's not as bad as a typical bar fight. At least most of the tables can still be used."

There were no other patrons in the pub; they had gathered to watch the fight and left when it was over. There were even a couple of Imperials, though those two were on break and thus did not report anything. Synneva had, in the meantime, decided to help Tomaj and the barman clean up. Darius and Hashirama were currently asleep in the upper balcony of the pub.

As the three went about their tasks, the bar owner decided to ask, "So, Synneva, what did you learn about the Hashirama fellow? You fought together with him, didn't you?"

The viera nodded. "I did. Just as Montblanc and Darius said, he was a strong warrior. During the contest we had, he matched me missile for missile, though I wonder what those things he threw were. They resembled stars made of metal, and then he threw things that appeared to be long daggers."

Tomaj thought for a bit before responding. "Well, I heard that he's from the East. Maybe those things are tools that those foreign fighters use. He's got a unique set of skills though. The boss was beaming when he left the clan house. I've never seen him so happy about new members ever since Vaan and his associates joined up."

"Well, kupo, it's always a thrill to see new blood in action," said the small yet somehow imposing voice of Clan Centurio's leader. "After all, you never know what you might find and-what happened here, kupo? The place is a mess!"

"There was a bar fight, boss. Things got a little rowdy in here," responded the bar owner.

The moogle raised a golden eyebrow. "A little rowdy is some spilled drinks and an overturned table or two. It looks like someone took a Sledgehammer to the bar!" He poked a table to make his point; it wobbled for a full minute before collapsing completely. "What in the Espers' names really happened, kupo? Bar fights are NOT this destructive."

Tomaj sighed heavily. "There really WAS a bar fight boss. But you'll never believe who was responsible for this mess," he said. In the background, the thug who was stuck in the ground had finally pulled himself up out of the hole and wandered off, dazed.

Montblanc walked over to the bar and poured himself a glass of madhu. "Who was it? It wasn't those Imperials was it? Because I can't really help you if it was them."

A thumb was jerked towards the balcony. "It was the new fellow that joined the clan earlier today. He and Darius were involved in a drinking contest then things kind of got out of hand. After he put a hole through this table," he said, pointing to said hole, "he engaged a group of ruffians at a nearby table. You had to have been there to see it."

The moogle's curiosity was piqued. "What did you see, kupo?"

"It was unbelievable. Even though he was drunk, the thugs couldn't so much as touch him. He knocked them out with a single punch or kick. It was…just insane. Do you see that hole in the stone floor? That was him piledriving one of the thugs. It just looked like he was drunkenly imitating a fighting style, but that didn't seem right. Like the intoxication WAS the style," Tomaj responded, shaking his head in continued disbelief.

The blonde downed the drink in his hand and whistled. "I've heard stories about stuff like that, kupo. Fighters whose entire style revolves around being drunk. Are you saying that Hashirama is quite possibly a martial artist? It'd be great to have one in the clan. Bansat is strong, but he's more of a brawler. Having a real, honest-to-goodness martial artist would boost our image and lead to more clients."

Tomaj shook his head. "I don't know about that. I've met monks from the Tri-Bangaa temple before, you know, those monk fighters, the real ones? He carried himself like one; at least he did before he went and had that drinking contest. I've been thinking about banning those from the Sandsea anyway; they only to property damage…of MY property."

"That is not all he is good with," stated Synneva, drawing the attention of both Tomaj and Montblanc. "When I joined him during his hunt, he fought the Sleipnir with a sword he had before we began the contest. I counted around twenty foes he slew with that blade. Although the martial artist theory may not be entirely incorrect; he lashed out with a few unarmed strikes that killed the monsters with a single blow."

Montblanc rubbed his chin in a manner that almost made the viera squeal and hug him, though she thankfully got her urges under control. "So he fights well when he's barefisted, when he's drunk, when he's using a sword, and when he's throwing things. Hm, guys, I think that we've got ourselves a professional."

Synneva and Tomaj looked at him expectantly. "A professional what, boss?" asked the bar owner.

"A professional samurai. I've heard about warriors like him from the Far East. They're supposed to be peerless when it comes to martial arts and swordsmanship, though I've never heard about them using projectile weapons; maybe that's just his style. Regardless, I'm glad he signed up. Darius made a good choice when he recommended this fellow, kupo," finished Montblanc.

Synneva and Tomaj could only agree.

_(Rabanastre, High Class District)_

Madara's Sharingan spun wildly as he used his stealth skills to avoid the attention of the Imperial troops who were actively searching for him. He knew that they were too weak to warrant the usage of his Mangekyo, but there were too many to engage, even for him. The Uchiha clan head would be hard pressed to defeat them all.

When he had first arrived here, he was still shocked by his failure to achieve his goals for Konoha. This shock had worn off and been replaced by amazement at his new surroundings. This world was far different than the one he was used to. Few people here had any chakra, yet there were those who were quite capable of defending themselves, though not on the same level as him.

He briefly thought that he'd landed in Tetsu No Kuni (Iron Country) when he beheld the Archadian soldiers doing their daily drills. He had approached them in a nonthreatening manner, hoping to meet with Iron Country's general Yoritomo Minamoto. Unfortunately, the soldiers believed that he was hostile as well as a trespasser, so they tried to arrest him.

In the ensuing scuffle, he had managed to win by activating his Sharingan and using his family's signature Taijutsu style. The armored men, no matter how well trained, stood no chance against the more-experienced shinobi; they were defeated in a matter of seconds. "Fall back! This fellow is some sort of monster! Call forth the Judges and Hoplites!"

As the men shouted and retreated in a panic, Madara made good his escape. He cursed when he came upon a huge gate that led to a magnificent castle that reminded him of the Kikyo Castle back in Konoha.

While running up the gate using his chakra would be simple, it would attract far too much attention from the numerous soldiers now running to and fro. Smashing the gate open by summoning Kyubi would cause the same problems, not to mention that it was forever beyond his reach. Using the Shunshin (Body Flicker) was also out of the question, since he did not know what lay behind the gate. The only thing he could do was wait until they either dropped their guard or opened the gate so he could sneak through.

Now, one might ask why he had not used his Kamui to return himself to the Elemental Nations. The short answer was that it was too unreliable. The Kamui did in fact banish the target to another dimension, but the dimension it was sent to was random and there was no guarantee he would end up back home. In addition, the Uchiha was well aware of the risks of continuous use of his eyes. Call him crazy, but he had no desire to go prematurely blind.

This led to the unique situation of Madara being completely and utterly stuck. He had no idea of how he was going to return home, and on top of that he'd provoked the locals and thus had them out for his blood, possibly. He had the urge to scream in frustration. '_If only that fool Hashirama had just given up like he should have, I would not be stuck here! Damn the Senju clan!_'

However, a trained shinobi like him knew better than to make any sort of noise that would attract attention, so he forcefully silenced himself and made sure to stick to the shadows when traveling. It was only a matter of time before they dropped their guard and allowed him to pass by unseen.

Unfortunately that proved not to be the case as he turned a corner…and walked straight into a random woman making her way across the alley. Before he could silence her, she let out a loud scream that alerted the nearby soldiers to their presence. "Shit!" he cursed, and ran after knocking the woman out.

He could hear the armored footsteps of the men as they gave chase. Now, there was one thing most people did not take into account when discussing Madara's skills: his speed. While he was not as fast as Tobirama or Mito, he could still move at an astonishing rate that was too fast for untrained foes to follow. He was currently taking advantage of that fact as he outran his armored pursuers.

He was so busy making his escape, in fact, that he only noticed another group in front of him almost too late. He hurriedly stopped himself and made to head right only to find another group of soldiers blocking the streets on any side of him; this was a classic encirclement. He cursed himself for falling for such a simple tactic.

"Put your hands up! Under the authority of the Archadian Empire, you are under arrest!" shouted a soldier in fancier armor than the rest; Madara guessed that he was the leader of these troops. The shinobi knew that fighting his way out was impossible at this point, so he did the only sensible thing a man in his position could do. He calmly raised his hands up and surrendered.

One soldier moved hesitantly and chained his arms behind his back with heavy irons. Internally, the Uchiha snorted; it wasn't as if these chains could hold him anyway. He was then brusquely led away by a small contingent of soldiers spearheaded by the one in fancy armor.

Madara did not so much as struggle; he knew that any more resistance was likely to earn him a severe punishment (if not more than the one he was already promised) and so decided to keep even his mouth shut. When the small group came to a low building, only the commanding officer and the one holding the chain entered the building with their prisoner in tow.

They led him into what appeared to be a huge dry dock, which caused the former clan head to raise his eyebrows in curiosity. He'd heard of the fantastical flying contraptions used by the shinobi of Sky Country (if anyone knows how to translate it into correct Japanese let me know), but this totally took the cake, presents, AND balloons. The soldiers hurriedly shoved him inside one of the huge devices, then left.

After a short trip (that nonetheless took forever in the shinobi's honest opinion), the flying ship landed in Kami knows where. After Madara was roughly dragged outside, he was led into the basement of what appeared to be a huge, imposing stone fortress in the middle of the desert. His chakra-enhance hearing picked up that he was in some sort of town named Nalbina.

"You're in a huge spot o' trouble now, churl. Assaulting an Imperial soldier, woo. You've got a lot o' spirit in you, eh? Wonder 'ow long it'll last! Harharhar!" the soldier leading him on laughed.

"And I trust you know that provoking a prisoner is hardly a good idea. If you continue these actions, I will have to take drastic measures," warned the shinobi, giving his captor the sort of look that a parent reserved for a misbehaving child.

The armored man spit. "Drastic measures? Look at ye! Ye can't even move yer arms! 'Ow do you expect to make me regret wot I'm saying, eh?!" he taunted, tugging hard on the iron collar on the Uchiha's neck, causing it to dig into the skin.

Madara had had enough of this man's taunting; the hard tugging was the straw that broke the camel's back. "I do not make monkeys, I train them," he said, and before anyone could blink he swept out with his foot and knocked the man over, then planted his foot square in the man's chest, cracking a few ribs. "Like this," he said nonchalantly. The entire exchange took less than ten seconds.

In the background, several of the prisoners cheered him on as he stood over the fallen body of his guard. They chanted for him to finish the man off, but he shook his head. "What would I stand to gain from killing him? I have already taught him a lesson; there is no need to cause him further pain." After he said that, the crowd's enthusiasm dispersed and so did they…at least until a new voice caused them all to instantly quiet.

"What in the Gods is happening here? Why is one of my men laid out on the floor? And why is everyone staring? Back to your duties, now!" shouted the speaker, causing everyone to instantly return to minding their own business. An imperial Hoplite hoisted his fallen comrade on his shoulders while a Magus cast Cure on him.

Another armored man appeared on the scene, but he was different from the ones that Madara had encountered thus far. This man boasted far more ornate armor than the others; he also wore a black cape tied around his neck and a strange helmet that resembled a bull's horns. He stood a full head taller than the others and seemed to command them with authority.

"You!" the man addressed him.

Madara looked up from his position towards the balcony. "Yes?"

"I would like a few words with you! Bring him to my office!" The other soldiers nodded in response.

OMAKE

Tobirama sat on his front porch. Blood oozed from multiple deep gashes on his face and one eye dangled from its socket. He was cautiously approached by Daisuke. "H-Hokage-sama? Are you alright?"

The younger Senju replied cheerfully, "Of course! Thanks for your concern, Daisuke-san!"

The Hyuga clan head was completely mystified by his leader's easygoing attitude. "Hokage-sama, are you not aware of your horrifying injuries? We must get to a medic-nin immediately!"

The Suiton user raised an eyebrow and spoke in a cheerful tone that sent shivers down the stoic man's side. "We do? Oh, you mean this? Makoto-chan did it to me when I accidentally called her fat. Worry not, it'll heal. In the meantime, why don't come in and join us for some tea? We would love to have you and your wife to visit."

Daisuke couldn't run away fast enough. When he was gone, Tobirama dispelled the henge to reveal a perfectly-unscarred face. "FINALLY I can have some alone time with Makoto-chan. Seriously, those guys were getting annoying," he said and went inside.

A/N: That's a wrap. Stay tuned for the next installment! Unknownbyself, away! *uses a jetpack*


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

_(Timeskip, Three Weeks Later)_

A viera and a black-haired Hume walked down to the Muthru Bazaar, both of them chatting happily about the day's hunt. "I tell you, that Flowering Cactoid was more trouble than it was worth; I think I'll have needles in my skin for the next few weeks," said the man, yanking out a needle to emphasize his point (see what I did there?).

The viera chuckled lightly at that. "At least you did not have to deal with its minions; I have never seen such angry cacti. I am lucky they did not try to gang up on me, else things would have become complicated."

Hashirama snorted. "You would say something like that. You were in the back row while I was in the front lines, so you didn't get nearly as many needles in you as I did. Anyway, at least the hunt is over; joushi was so excited we were able to complete it so quickly."

Synneva had to agree. "I think that you have become his new favorite. It used to be a young fellow named Vaan, but we haven't heard anything from him in quite a while. Last we heard he was in the Golmore jungle along with several known criminals; the boss prays that he is alright. After all, that forest is quite dangerous."

The wood user nodded. "I have not been in many jungles, but I am well aware of the risks of traveling with company like that. I just wish I knew how my precious people back home were handling themselves, especially my brother and fiancé…"

"I am sure that they are quite capable of caring for themselves. After all, you say that both of them are powerful warriors like yourself. If they are anything like you, they can handle anything that is thrown their way," said the woman, approaching the stall selling wares to clan members only. She calmly purchased several Warp Motes and looked over to her partner who had selected a Bundle of Needles.

A curious look from her spurred the shinobi to answer. "My kunai and shuriken stores are low, especially after the hunt we were just on."

The former Wood-dweller raised a white eyebrow slightly. "And those are a suitable replacement?"

The Senju nodded. "They are quite similar to the senbon that are used by other shinobi back home, just not as thick. If I can bond them together with a fire technique, I can use them just like my kunai and shuriken. A simple Fire spell ought to be enough," he concluded. Thanks to his training alongside the clan, he had been learning the art of magick.

Synneva shook her head. "That sounds feasible on paper, but I know from experience that it will take much more than that to bond these together. By my estimate, it would take at least a Fira-level spell to melt them together. You may want to ask Montblanc about that. On another note, I believe that Monid dislikes you."

"Why is that?"

"I do not claim to know what goes on inside his head, but Krjs has informed me that he seems to be quite jealous of the rate at which you are ascending in our ranks. You are rising even faster than our previous record holder, which happens to be Monid himself," she said while sitting down on the stone steps at the top of the bazaar.

Hashirama sat down on the stone handrails next to her. "I did not intend to spark his ire; I am merely doing what joushi is asking of me, just as he does."

"I know that, everyone in the clan does. Regardless of that, he dislikes how quickly you have risen. It would be prudent to be careful around him. On another subject, how is your search for information doing?"

The young Hokage sighed. "Not well. Only a few of my fellow clanners know anything about the East, and none of them have been there. If this were to continue, I do not know if returning to Konoha is even possible," he said, hanging his head down. "In fact, my arrival still seems like a dream. One moment, I am fighting my friend at the Valley of the End, and the next I am in the Estersand. All of it is unbelievable."

The viera nodded in agreement. "To anyone else, your story would be unbelievable, but we clanners have been known to do the impossible. As a matter of fact, the boy named Vaan was supposedly captured by the Archadians and taken aboard the _Leviathan_. Then recently we heard that the ship was sunk and the boy escaped somehow. If that is not impossible, I do not know what is."

In the meantime, Hashirama found that neither his Fire spell nor the only Katon jutsu he knew were enough to fuse the needles together, so he settled for an alternative. He used his sheer strength to forcibly wrap one needle around another into a sort of braided shape; while they would not be as fast as regular senbon, the drill shape would seriously injure the target, not to mention that they would be rather difficult to remove. "That is true. In the time I have remained here I have seen things thought impossible to do back home."

She tugged on one ear; it was her nervous habit when she was lost in thought. "Actually, there is something I would like to ask you." When she said that, the Senju turned up from his work to look at her questioningly. "About three weeks ago, when you first arrived in the city, I was wandering around when I felt a surge of power coming from an unknown source. A short investigation revealed a tree in the Bazaar that pulsed with life stronger than any other plant I have encountered. Do you know anything about that?"

He took his time to answer. "Do you mean the tree at the base of the stairs? I always thought that the tree was already there…" He did not like lying to her, but as a shinobi he knew that deception was a part of his job description.

She gazed at him in a way that made him uncomfortable; it felt as though she was staring into his very soul. It reminded him of the way that his precious Mito would look at him whenever he lied to her. "It was not. That type of tree is not native to this area; I know that since I once lived in an area where those trees were widespread. Additionally, there is no rain or any other sort of irrigation in this area, yet not only is the tree alive, but it is thriving. A curious phenomenon, since there are three other trees just like that one spread throughout the city."

The wood user began to sweat, and it was not due to the heat. "Maybe those trees are sustaining themselves using Mist. I have heard of plants living that way before…"

Synneva shook her head. "Even if it did use Mist, it would still need to obtain water or at least have something resembling soil. All there is around here is stone pavement; hardly a good base for an oak as solid as that one. It is like that tree is imposing its will to live upon the environment, which goes for the other three as well. If I did not know better, I would say that the Wood itself has manifested here, but that is naught but a dream. Although I will say that you possess a similar feel to those trees. And there was one other thing that interested me."

Hashirama swallowed nervously; though he expected someone to figure out his secret (eventually), he did not know it would be so soon. "What was that?"

"As you know, I am somewhat versed in the spiritual arts; I can feel what Mother Nature is saying. When I touched that tree, I received strange visions," she continued. "I saw a man with red eyes, a woman with a symbol on her stomach, and a horrific monster with nine tails. But what I saw after that was a man giving orders to someone. The man was…you. Nature holds the memories of those who cross her path; why would she remember you so specifically?"

The Senju fought to keep the hard lump in his throat down. There was no going back; now that someone was onto him, there was no choice but to reveal what he knew. He knew that he could trust her, yet some small part of him wondered whether this was a good idea. "I suppose that there's no way around it. What I'm going to tell you must be kept between us; no one else may know of it, not even joushi. But I cannot show you here, is there anywhere in this city that we will be completely undisturbed?"

The viera nodded. "Follow me. There is a secluded area near here where I do my training. You can show me what you will there," she said, walking off with him in tow. Soon they arrived at a lonely cul-de-sac that had a set of stairs to one side that led downward into the Garamsythe Waterway. They walked down into the Waterway and stopped when they came to an open space. "Rest assured: we will remain unnoticed by anyone."

He nodded his head slowly. "Back in my home, I employ an ability that causes miraculous plant growth that I can use for offense or defense. But it is not just a battle weapon; the plants I create brim with life and will grow no matter the environment. They are even capable of restraining the strongest monsters, the Biju."

"What are Biju?"

"They are a group of nine fearsome demons that have taken the shape of animals. The strongest of their number, the Kyubi, is said to be able to level mountains and create tsunamis with a mere swipe of one of its tails. That was the monster you saw; the mighty nine-tailed fox. I have faced the beast in battle and emerged victorious thanks to my powers. Allow me to demonstrate. Mokuton (Wood Release)!"

When he said that, he raised one hand and had it in a half Ram seal, which caused a mid-sized oak to suddenly sprout from the stone aqueduct. Its sturdy trunk was tough as any century-old oak, and its bright-green leaves pulsed with life. The tree's roots branched out (pun intended) until they reached the water in the deep pools of the Waterway. It looked so out of place, yet at the same time it looked right at home.

Synneva's jaw almost dropped to the floor. Did this man have the blessings of the Wood? No, that was impossible…yet how was he able to perform miracles like this? "H-how did you do that? Your trees are healthier than those created by the Wood herself! Yet it was not magick, so how..?"

The Senju shook his head. "I do not know the full reasoning behind it either. I have been able to do this since I was little; my parents explained that it was a Kekkei Genkai, or bloodline limit. Yet, no one else in my family could do it, not even my brother. My abilities are just as mysterious to me as they are to anyone else. I hope that no one else finds out about this; it might prove disastrous to all involved."

She could only sputter out her agreement; she knew about bloodline abilities, of course, but she was still utterly stupefied at the information she had just received. "Y-yes…I shall keep your secret. You do not have to worry about me spreading rumor about what you can do…but I want to know about what you use to power your…unique talents."

He scratched the back of his head. "My wood release is powered by an energy we shinobi call chakra. It works like this: as I'm sure you know, our bodies are constantly absorbing Mist from the air. The body then converts that Mist into an energy called ki; the amount of ki that can be used and held varies with each person. After that, ki can be used to power magick; this is the reason that, although Mist is seemingly infinite, we have a limit on how much magick we can use. Those with enough training, however, can obtain the ability to use chakra, another more refined form of ki. Chakra can even come in different elements, which can be mixed to create different results. There are five elements: fire, earth, water, wind, and lightning."

The viera nodded her head in understanding. "I know of abilities like that; that type of energy is most often employed by the martial artist I have encountered in my adventures. Would it be possible for you to teach me to harness this energy? It may become useful."

Hashirama smiled. "I don't see why not. Just, remember to keep what I am teaching you to yourself. While the usage of chakra is not very much of a secret, it can be deadly when improperly applied. Just make sure to follow my instructions exactly and you should be fine."

"In that case, would you mind if we began immediately? Perhaps I may even be able to create trees in the same manner that you do."

"I don't know about that. Using my wood release techniques requires a very specific balance of water and earth-element chakra, and learning it is not possible if either element is not an affinity of yours. However, I have seen many different mixes of chakra, so you may have the right combination. Who knows? Okay, let's begin. I will start by teaching you how to produce chakra."

He crouched down somewhat and disappeared in a swirl of leaves. Another swirl of leaves indicated his new position perched atop one of the oak's branches. "In order to produce chakra, you need to channel Mist into your entire body as opposed to just your hands or chest; that forces your body to form special coils to hold the Mist so that it won't harm your body. Then you can mold that Mist and ki into chakra."

Synneva nodded and began focusing while the shinobi kept dictating instructions. "In order to achieve the formation of coils, you can start by charging Mist as though you are casting a spell. But instead of releasing it as soon as it's ready, I want you to instead keep focusing and molding the Mist until it feels like the spell is coursing through your body. Then, hold that process until you begin to feel as though you are being pricked by red-hot needles. When that feeling stops, your coils have formed and I can begin to truly teach you."

"Does the type of spell matter?"

The Senju shook his head. "The type of spell you are going to 'cast' doesn't matter, though you can choose a White or Green magick spell to reduce the odds of injury. The actual odds of you injuring yourself are higher if you are a beginner, however, so I recommend one of the White Magick spells. Cura or Curaga will work fine."

The viera began to glow as she channeled the Mist necessary for a Cura. She focused her magick into her hands as though to cast it, but then remembered his instructions and instead allowed the magick energy to spread through her arms and then her entire body; she could feel the warmth of the rapidly-heating Mist as it coursed through her. Her body temperature soared.

Synneva could remember the last time her body reacted like this: it was when the _Leviathan _sunk high above the Urutan-Yensa Sandsea and released all of its internal Mist. Last time it had almost gotten the better of her, but this time she made sure to be completely in control. The heat was beginning to become unbearable, but she toughed it out; she truly wished to be able to use the same abilities as her partner.

The Shodaime watched his partner with interest, ready to spring into action if he was needed. He knew that she would keep her promise to remain silent about his chakra usage, but he never expected her to ask him how to use it herself. This world was getting curiouser and curiouser…

The magickal glow around her intensified, giving her a greenish tint. For her part, she had never felt such pain; the hot needle sensation he had described was there, alright, but it was so intense she couldn't help but to cry out. It felt like she was being torn apart! Not to mention the needles were everywhere! She couldn't handle any more!

Then, just as quickly as the feeling had begun, it suddenly stopped. She dropped to her knees as she tried to comprehend what had just happened to her. In the meantime, the glow had vanished, leaving behind her tanned skin with a slight flush. Synneva sucked in air hungrily as beads of sweat cascaded down her forehead. She could feel something strange in her body; it was like there was something foreign but not entirely uncomfortable. "What is this? There is something strange inside of me."

"Congratulations! You now have the necessary chakra coils! That means I can begin to teach you what I know about chakra manipulation," he said, noting her tiredness. "After a brief rest, of course."

The viera sat down on the stone steps, sweat still rolling off her body in spite of the cool atmosphere of the Waterway. She took a grateful sip of her canteen. "How did you handle that pain? It was unbearable!"

Brief laughter. "I didn't, actually. Back in my home, members of my family are all born with their chakra coils fully formed, so we don't have to worry about that. I know of the process only because a good friend of mine had to go through it. Once you've adjusted to the coils' presence, I will teach you how to store chakra so you can use it at any time. You'll have to consciously gather it yourself until your body learns how to do it automatically."

His partner leaned back on the stairs. "Hopefully the training for that will not be as painful as this one was. I never want to experience that again."

"Heh, he said the same thing. But don't worry; the rest of the training won't be so bad. After a while, you'll get the hang of it."

"That might have to wait, kupo. There's something I need to talk to the two of you about, and it's rather urgent," said Montblanc as he descended the stairs.

OMAKE

"YES! I'VE DONE IT! I'VE OBTAINED THE MANGEKYO! HAHAHA!"

The loud shouts and insane laughter coming from Makoto's apartment alerted everyone to the new development. She ran through the entire village, leaving Makoto-shaped holes in the walls of many buildings.

In the Senju compound, Mito calmly sat and drank her tea. _Today is such a beautiful day, _she thought. _Perhaps I'll go on a stroll through the village. I could use the fresh air._

Her thoughts were rudely interrupted when the Uchiha kunoichi suddenly burst through the wall, sending bricks everywhere, one of which hit Tobirama on the head and knocked him out. Blood slowly seeped from his head which went unnoticed by the two kunoichi. "What the hell are you doing, Uchiha?!"

Makoto turned to face her, an insane expression on her face and her eyes alight with her dojutsu. "I've done it. I got the Mangekyo. That means I can challenge you for the title of strongest kunoichi in the Leaf! Fight me!" she challenged, pointing her finger dramatically at the redhead.

"No," answered the slightly irate Uzumaki.

"Why not?!"

"You do not have the Mangekyo," Mito responded.

"Yes I do! My eyes look different and they feel odd and everything!" shouted the brunette, throwing what was apparently a tantrum.

The Senju-to-be facepalmed. "You baka! You don't have the Mangekyo! You just have pinkeye with your Sharingan active!"

Makoto calmed down instantly. "Really?" She went over to a nearby mirror and checked herself over. Sure enough, the sclera of her eyes was pink and infected. She laughed nervously as she turned to face the Uzumaki. "Hehe, sorry?"

The screams of pain coming from the compound warned everyone to stay away from Mito that day. Meanwhile, nobody bothered to help Tobirama, so he passed out from blood loss until the next day. He turned out okay, though he now had an irrational fear of bricks. Oh, well.

It was just another day in Konoha.

A/N: Here we go guys, another chapter of Unfamiliar Territory. See you next week! Unknownbyself, away! *grows bird wings and flies away*


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

Last time:

His partner leaned back on the stairs. "Hopefully the training for that will not be as painful as this one was. I never want to experience that again."

"Heh, he said the same thing. But don't worry; the rest of the training won't be so bad. After a while, you'll get the hang of it."

"That might have to wait, kupo. There's something I need to talk to the two of you about, and it's rather urgent," said Montblanc as he descended the stairs.

_(Garamsythe Waterway, Current time)_

"Joushi? What are you doing here? How did you find this place?" asked Hashirama. He was utterly confused as to exactly how the moogle found their training spot.

"It's really simple, kupo. Synneva here told me where her secret area was, and I was looking for her. I wasn't expecting to find you here, but I'm not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, kupo," replied the blonde. He then walked (in the ninja's opinion, more like waddled) down the stairs, almost falling down them several times. "I hate stairs, kupo. Anyway, there's something we have to talk about."

The two clanners sitting on the lower set of steps looked at him curiously. "What is it?"

Montblanc took a deep breath. "Just a few minutes ago we received a distress signal from Bansat. It seems he ran afoul of a powerful monster while hunting in the Ozmonfield. I want you to leave immediately, kupo. Bansat's strong, but even he can't hold it off forever; that's why I'm sending you two out to go help him. It might be worth your time too, kupo," he said to the shinobi.

"Worth my time? How?"

"My younger sister Gurdy tells me that the Gran Kiltias on Mt. Bur-Omisace is a very wise man, more adept with magick than even I am, kupo. If anyone knows how to get you back home, he does. And even if you don't get any leads, going there will serve to get you familiarized with the rest of Ivalice, kupo." The moogle smiled at his subordinates. "And don't worry about getting lost; Synneva knows the way there."

Hashirama responded to the new information with a smile of his own. _If this 'Gran Kiltias' is indeed as wise as they say, perhaps it really will be worth the effort. Either way, meeting this man will do me a service. _He saluted his boss by bowing. "Hai! I shall go right away."

His viera partner gazed at the ceiling briefly with a complex mixture of emotions. His shinobi training allowed him to read people like open books; his trusted ally was no exception. There was clearly something bothering her, but he decided that prudence was the best course, so he didn't even bring up the subject. "Come, Synneva-san! Our new adventure awaits!"

A brief look of remorse crossed her features before she shook her head rapidly to clear away any negative thoughts. "Y-yes. We…have much preparing to do. Let us go, then," she said, the expressions on her face not going unnoticed by the moogle.

When the Senju had left the area in a swirl of leaves, Synneva turned to leave, only to find her boss lightly tugging on the hem of her somewhat diaphanous garment. He addressed her with gravity not usually present in his voice. "Kupo, I know that going to Mt. Bur-Omisace will be difficult given your past, but remember that those memories are just that, memories. There's no need to get him involved in that entire mess."

The viera slumped her shoulders. "And what if he is prevented from advancing due to my mistakes? I left the Wood, only recently but I left it. It is not likely that she has forgiven me, nor is it possible that it will happen."

Montblanc shook his head. "Well, if you really don't want to confront the ghosts of your past, let me give you this," he said, handing her a simple warrior's armband made of amber. The attached jewel sparkled with a fierce blue light; Synneva's eyes widened when she recognized it.

"That's a Lente's Tear! Forgive my rudeness, but how did a non-viera like you come by one of these?!"

The blonde smiled sadly. "An old friend of mine gave that to me before she left the clan on her own personal journey. It's a one-of-a-kind treasure found nowhere else; it's the only reminder I have left of her. I'm gonna let you guys use it, but please remember to take good care of it, kupo."

Synneva closed her eyes in meditation as she slipped the armlet on. She used her powers to channel the energies contained within. Naturally, she felt the essence of the great priestess, Lente, but she could also feel the spirit of someone else. "Can you feel it with your powers, kupo? Can you feel my friend's spirit?"

The viera nodded. "Yes. It is not just Lady Lente that I detect, but I can also feel the soul of a great warrioress, one stronger than even Krjs. She wields the great powers of earth, despite our race's weakness to that element. If I may ask, who was she?"

Now it was Montblanc's turn to close his eyes. "That's a story for another time, kupo. Just know that her friendship meant the world to me. Anyway, get going. You two have a friend to go help, kupo."

Not for the first time that day, the silverette smiled. "Yes, boss."

_(Apartment)_

A swirl of leaves indicated Hashirama's arrival in the apartment he shared with his partner. He then went into his bedroom to pack the necessary gear. "Let's see…the twisted senbon are here in my kunai pouch…" He then went about packing several items and sealing them into a small scroll he'd been given by Mito.

All in all, he packed a staggering amount of items into the scroll: several weeks' worth of ration bars, rope, flints, a few changes of clothes, bottles of water, a pair of raincoats, a pair of waterproof straw hats, an extra pair of boots, two pairs of thick winter boots, and a pair of thick winter cloaks. When this was done, he sealed the scroll into another seal inside his now-empty shuriken holster. After that, he picked up Sakura-Saezuri's scabbard and placed the sword inside, then looped it into the belt he'd taken to wearing lately.

Satisfied with the necessary preparations, he sat down on the couch in the living room to wait for his friend and partner. The opening and shutting of the door heralded her arrival. "You are packed already?" When she received a nod, her jaw almost dropped in surprise. "I cannot believe this. I do not see where your things are."

The Senju sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "Well, we shinobi are taught that time is of the essence, plus we've got a few ways to save space. Would you like me to help you get your things in order? The sooner we can go help Bansat-sempai, the better."

Synneva nodded. "I would like that. Now, it is likely that we will be away for several weeks, so I need to pack for any occurrence. I'll need food and water, of course, plus a few changes in clothing, storm and snow gear…"

"You need not worry about those, as I've packed them already. Here, just show me what needs to be packed, and I'll show you a way to store everything in your pocket, essentially." When he received a skeptical look, he decided to elaborate. "It involves the channeling of chakra, so I guess that now is a good time to learn how. The first step is to create some, so come here and I'll show you how."

When the viera had taken up the position next to him, he began to talk. "Okay, the easiest way to create chakra is using Mist, so let's begin. Since you began to form your coils in our earlier exercise, they've already begun to fill with Mist. The goal is to fill said coils completely so that there's nothing but chakra in them. That process will help your body learn to temper the Mist into chakra on its own. Just like you did before, I want you to channel the energy for a spell, except this time I want you to focus it into the foreign-feeling spots which are your coils. Focusing helps to concentrate the ki and turn it into chakra. You'll know you did it correctly if the nagging feeling of emptiness goes away."

The viera nodded and began to channel a Cura. She focused the spell's energies into the strangely-empty space in her gut, and soon she felt a strange, oddly-pleasant sensation of said space being filled. She kept on focusing until, just as her partner had said, the empty feeling in the pit of her stomach disappeared. "I've done it…"

The shinobi smiled. "Excellent. Now we can move on to channeling. Here's what I want you to do now…"

After ten minutes, Synneva had successfully learned how to channel chakra in small amounts, enough to learn how to store her things into written seals. She expressed an interest in the art, which she learned was named Fuinjutsu (Sealing Techniques).

She asked him if it was possible to store things inside seals made of pure chakra or Mist. "It is actually possible, however something like that takes a great amount of training or natural talent, not to mention large reserves of chakra. We'll work on that later. Bansat-sempai needs help; it won't do to keep him waiting."

"Agreed. Let us go," she said. With that, the two sped out the door and, after applying some seals to prevent intrusion, hurried to Rabanastre's Southgate.

_(Rabanastre Southgate)_

The pair arrived at the Southgate much sooner than they (or anyone else) expected. After ducking into a secluded part of the gate, the viera spoke up. "It is the Rains now. The terrain of the plains had changed drastically. We may proceed, but we must use caution; did you bring rain gear?"

The shinobi nodded. "Yes, let me get it…" He unsealed the raincoats and they put them on. She noticed him unseal a straw hat (a/n: think of the hats Itachi and Kisame wore) and place it on his head. "It's been waterproofed. Here, I had one specially made for you," he said, handing her an identical hat with an advanced seal on it that would hide her ears from view yet still allow her to hear anything that was going on around them.

She reluctantly took the hat from him; she slowly fitted the hat on to her head and found that not only was it comfortable (which was saying a lot since she, like most viera, hated wearing hats), but it fit perfectly, like a hand in a glove. Synneva also noted that the raincoat and straw hat combo effectively hid their features from view while simultaneously allowing a full range of movement. In fact, the only way anyone could tell who they were was if they knew them already.

"Hm, these raincoats and hats hide our features well, do they not?"

The wood user nodded. "They're intended not just for rain protection, but also for infiltration and espionage. I've had them since I first arrived here, but they've never been used until now. As for your hat, I modified it since I knew that your ears would otherwise prevent you from making any use of it. Well, now that we're ready, let's go. Oh, wait, I need to put these on," he gestured to a pair of thick boots.

"Those boots have a seal on them that causes water to bead up and roll off, similar to the way a wax coating works."

His explanation was met by an amused expression. "Darius was right about you. You certainly are full of surprises. First the swordsmanship, then the tree creation, and now this. I wonder what other secrets you have."

The young Hokage chuckled. "More than you could dream of. Anyway, now that we're set, let's go. I'm sure that Bansat-sempai can't wait any more." His partner agreed, and they both walked forward at a brisk pace towards the swamp-like terrain that was the Giza Plains.

_(Nalbina Fortress)_

Madara calmly strode down one of the stone hallways of the fortress, disregarding the workers busily fortifying the outer walls. His onyx eyes scanned the surroundings; even without the infamous Sharingan active, he still had near hawk-like eyesight. Any soldier he encountered immediately made a wide berth if they saw him coming. He smirked at that; he knew they feared him.

As he walked, he remembered the events that led up to his current situation.

_(Author Style: Flashback no Jutsu!)_

The heavily-armored man sitting across from the Uchiha glared at him through his helmet, as though he were trying to kill him with his eyes alone. Madara had to scoff at that. "If you are trying to intimidate me, I suggest that you try a bit harder. Here, let me show you how to properly put someone in their place," he said, suddenly blasting the area with his killing intent.

The effect was immediate. The soldiers watching him passed out from such a fearsome presence, and the imposing armored man even took a nervous step back. Just outside the office, an Imperial mastiff sensed the KI and ran away in fright, dragging his unfortunate Beastmaster behind him.

_(Flashback no Jutsu: Kai!)_

That single blast of killing intent was all it had taken for the armored man, who was known as Judge Magister Gabranth, to rescind his criminal record. As far as the Archadian Empire was concerned, Madara's record was spotless. Additionally, since he revealed his status as a shinobi, the judge hired him for mercenary work.

His new armor made slight clinking sounds as he walked. The loss of his old armor had been a big one, but not all was lost: Gabranth gave him a suit commonly used by lesser judges. Several modifications later, and Madara resembled a judge himself, minus the helmet and clunky gauntlets of course.

Everything was looking up for the Sharingan warrior, except for one thing. Ba'Gamnan. The bangaa was not pleased that Gabranth hired the shinobi, and wasn't shy about making his opinions known to everyone. Madara was not normally bothered by the heartless mercenary, even by said mercenary's frequent death threats. However, what bothered the brunette was twofold: Ba'Gamnan never shut up, and he was always challenging Madara to competition. It was the sort of thing that grated on the normally patient man's nerves.

Time and again, he won their little contests, yet the bangaa always insisted that he'd cheated in some way. The Uchiha acknowledged that as a ninja he was expected to utilize any means necessary to win, but he never cheated at hunts; it didn't even make any sense. The man was irritating, to say the least.

It would be so easy to simply fire off an Amaterasu and burn him to ashes, but he was wary about revealing the full extent of his talents just yet. Deception was a shinobi's most useful tool, after all, and he would be damned before he refused to use it.

He approached a high balcony overlooking the Estersand. Grabbing a cup of water, he channeled chakra to his eyes to activate his three tomoe Sharingan. He used the famous Uchiha eyes to scan the desert for any suspicious activity. There were several monsters fighting one another in the distance, but nothing out of the ordinary. Shutting off his dojutsu, he leaned on the surprisingly cool stone as someone approached him.

"Madara, I have an assignment which will require your…unique skills," said the voice of his employer.

"Is that so?" asked the shinobi, intrigued by the statement but refusing to turn around. "Then, pray tell, what is it?"

"In a few days, Judge Magister Zargabaath and the esteemed Dr. Cid will arrive here in Nalbina. You are to accompany them as they survey the tomb of the Dynast-King Raithwall," Gabranth replied, a bit irked that his employee was disrespecting him.

This time, the armored ninja turned around, intrigue visible on his features. "I can understand being asked to ensure a Judge Magister's well-being, but I am slightly confused as to why a civilian will be with us." Madara wasn't normally one to question a superior's orders, but he disliked civilians' weakness, a factor that Gabranth noticed.

"Dr. Cid is a good friend to Lord Vayne as well as being the head of Draklor Laboratories. His research on the subject of nethicite is of vital importance to the Empire as a whole, therefore his safety must be top priority. This is a chance for you to prove your ability as my right hand. I trust that this assignment is not beyond your capability?"

Madara scoffed. "Hardly. Indeed, this may be just the thing I need to unwind. Spending the days here is pleasant, but being confined to one place for too long tends to drive one mad, would you not agree?"

The black-caped judge nodded his head; he knew the results from such an experience all too well. "Indeed. You had best prepare for danger. Raithwall's tomb is in jagd as well as being populated by all manner of little beasties. Accounting for every possible disaster would be prudent. They will be here in two days." With that, Gabranth turned around and walked away, the sound of his greaves hitting the floor echoing in the stone halls.

The shinobi watched him leave while an Uchiha smirk formed on his face. When the judge had finally gone, Madara turned around and leaned on the balcony once again. He took a slow sip from his cup of water as several thoughts formed in his head.

'_Hm, a protection mission. I haven't taken an assignment like that since I was a teenager. And looking after people of such import, well, that could prove to be interesting. Interesting indeed.'_ He chuckled, taking another sip.

Then another, more unpleasant thought occurred to him. _'I wonder how that fool Senju is doing here. He may be dead considering the environment, however something doesn't feel quite right. I know that he is far too stubborn to accept death, so he must be out in Ivalice somewhere. Whether sooner or later, we shall meet again. When that day comes, you had best prepare yourself Hashirama. Only one of us shall walk away from our battle._

Those thoughts continued to plague his mind well into the night.

OMAKE

Tobirama casually walked down the street, happily eating an ice cream cone. He was humming a merry tune; nothing could go wrong! He could almost dance with joy. In fact, he was just skipping.

Anyone who saw him immediately noticed several things: one, he was eating ice cream. The Hokage didn't like ice cream. Two, he was not wearing his helmet, exposing his spiky snow-white hair. Finally, he wasn't acting very Hokage-like at all, more like a happy child. Truthfully, it creeped some people out. Especially with the skipping. The worst part of it all was that no one was sure exactly why. There were a number of theories, but no one was brave (or stupid) enough to ask. Some thought that he'd gotten laid, while others (briefly) believed that he'd found his brother.

"Hokage-sama? I was wondering if you had the time to answer a question I have…" asked Isaku. He was just as creeped as anyone else, but he swallowed his fear just like his father taught him.

"Of course!" replied the Suiton user cheerfully. Isaku was sure he got diabetes from the amount of sugar in the man's voice.

"W-well, I was…wondering w-why y-you're so h-happy today. I-I mean, you're skipping. You never do that…"

Tobirama clapped him on the shoulder so hard he swore he could hear his shoulder bones break. "Well, an awesome thing happened to me today! I just wanted the world to share in my joy! You'll join me, wont you?"

"Um, w-well, you see, what I mean is, I can't. I…have prior engagements. But, I'd like to know…what awesome th-thing was it?"

"Well, it's very simple. I…discovered the secret to defeating paperwork! Isn't that just the best thing ever?!" He was earnestly shouting. Isaku was certain he lost some of his hearing at that moment. Without even giving a response, the Umino ran away, using all the speed his shinobi training allowed. "I wonder what's wrong with him? Oh, well. I guess I'm just gonna have to spread the joy on my own." With that, he continued to skip and hum.

Ever since that day, Tobirama was banned from ever having ice cream again.

A/N: And that's…a wrap! Stay tuned for the next exciting installment of Unfamiliar Territory. And remember, say no to drugs! Unknownbyself, away! *uses a dark portal*


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

_(Giza Plains, Gizas North Bank)_

Lightning roared in the stormy sky above as Hashirama and his partner trekked across the inundated landscape. He couldn't believe how much the terrain had changed: during the Dry, the Plains resembled the dried forests on the border of Konoha territory and Suna territory. Now, however…

"This place reminds me of Mizu no Kuni (Water Country), except that here, there is no mist to cloud your view. *sigh* I hope that I'm not struck by lightning again; I might not survive this time," said the Senju.

Synneva raised a white eyebrow at him. "You have been struck before?"

The shinobi nodded. "Once when I was leading my family to find a new place to live, we were journeying across Rai no Kuni, that's Lightning Country, which in retrospect was a foolish idea since the area is mountainous. That would normally not be a problem, except that the elders in my clan found it difficult to breathe properly. As we left the mountains, we were hit by a sudden thunderstorm. As my clan took shelter in a nearby cave, I was struck by an errant bolt; it took me several days to recover, even with our knowledge of healing jutsu. Last time there was no rain, but this time I am soaked, even though it's only my coat and hat. *sigh*"

The viera smirked. "There is no need to worry. Any lightning that falls to earth here strikes the gigantic sunstones rather than hitting anything else. One could walk this area covered with metal armor and be completely safe from the lightning."

"I hope so. Anyway, there's something I would like to ask you."

"Ask, and I shall give you my answer," she replied.

"Whenever wood is mentioned, you seem somewhat downcast. I confess, it piqued my curiosity. Why do you react that way?" he asked, his face creased with concern.

She lowered her head until the straw hat covered her eyes. She suddenly found the sodden dirt and soaked grass to be very fascinating. "It is not something I would share with everyone, but I can assure you that I have a…colorful past in relation to the Wood. It is a subject best not mentioned," she stated.

"I understand; there are things any of us would prefer to keep secret, even from our closest friends. If you do not like to talk about it, I won't so much as utter a word. Now, are you sure we're headed the right way? This terrain is beginning to look the same to me," he said, gesturing to the wadis filled with the runoff from the nonstop rain. He carefully crossed one, making sure he didn't fall in (he knew they were actually shallow, but didn't want to take any chances).

"Yes, we are in fact going in the correct direction," responded the viera, rolling her eyes. "This is the fifth time you have asked me that; I thought you were supposed to have a great sense of direction as a ninja."

He blushed in embarrassment. "Well, I usually do, but not when the terrain is this different. The last time I was this lost was when I created the great forest near my home."

"I would ask you how you managed to create a wooded area all on your own, but I don't need to now that I have beheld it myself. Let us stop here to rest; my feet are quite tired," she stated as she took off her hat and leaned back on one of the tall, damp stones in the Crystal Glade. "Bansat can last a while longer, I think. He is not a veteran for nothing."

Hashirama agreed as he exercised some chakra and created two small wooden stumps. "Here, I think that this will be more comfortable than that stone. Why did you remove your hat? It's still raining."

"You have not been here before, then. No matter the weather in the rest of the Plains, this area known as the Crystal Glade never sees anything severe enough to harm the resident crystal," she responded, pointing at the bright blue gem floating harmlessly in the air next to them.

"Crystals like that one are powerful sources of magick; they never seem to come to harm no matter their situation. One can try to damage it, like this," she said, kicking the gem with such power that if it were anything else it would've been split in half. However, there were no scratches on its surface; it didn't even move. "But as you can see, I left not so much as a scratch on its surface; it is as unmarred as it ever was."

"You don't say? Let me try it out," he said, approaching the crystal with his right fist glowing blue with chakra. He punched the crystal with all his might. Instantly, there were two results: one, the crystal stayed the same. Two: the energy in the punch had nowhere to go, so it rebounded on the aggressor and… "ITAI! That hurt!"

Synneva tried to cover up her laughter, but failed and it came out as a snorting sound. "You fool; you should not have struck it with that much force. Crystals deflect magickal hostility; the only reason I was not hurt was due to lack of magickal energy in the blow. Come on, he is most likely still waiting for us to assist him."

The shinobi worked out the kinks in his hand and applied some healing chakra to it. "Hai. Let's go," he said. He turned around to face the impromptu wooden seats he'd created. "Let's leave those there. Others who pass this area will want to stop to rest as well. By the way, how far until we get to where sempai is?"

"Not too far. We will cross the Starfall Field, after which we will have finally entered the Ozmone Plains. My information tells me he was hunting a monster named Enkelados in the Shred, but their battle was soon out of control. Suffice it to say that he is now on a merry chase all over the Plains; the monster, however, is the one chasing him. He will most certainly be trampled to death, should we not help."

Hashirama smiled at her. "Then Bansat-sempai has nothing to worry about. We clanners take care of one another. Come, I know the rest of the way into the plains," he said, taking charge of the mission for the first time in three weeks.

He didn't care that he didn't know the way, he knew that his friend needed help, and he could detect Bansat's chakra signature (it was of course weak, but still there nonetheless). He strode forward with purpose, leaving the safety of the Glade and entering the monster-infested Starfall Field.

The viera could only follow, the straw hat on her head once more. On some level, she knew that she could trust him to lead others, even if he didn't know where he was going. He walked on and on, following the right path almost by instinct, and never making a mistake. It was as though he could sense their distressed comrade from a long distance.

"You said you have never journeyed this path before, so how is it that you are following the correct path with this much ease? It seems almost instinctual for you," she asked as they walked. In the background, a Wooly Gator was busy making a meal out of an unfortunate hyena.

"Not quite, but let me just say that I can detect people's chakra from quite a ways away. As for the path issue, as a trained shinobi I know how to make my way across the countryside," he replied. He neglected to tell her the true reason for his tracking ability.

Most shinobi back in the Elemental Nations (Konoha included) would chalk up his tracking abilities to just being a great sensor type. However, that statement couldn't be further from the truth. The reality was that, due to his affinity for the natural world, he could sense not just someone's chakra, but thanks to his powerful life energy he could detect someone's very life force. Unlike chakra, even shinobi couldn't hide their life force; only those who were truly dead could evade his vision.

"Is that so? If that is indeed the case, lead the way, O fearless leader," she joked, instantly grabbing his attention. The reason? Like most viera, Synneva was a fairly serious person; she had her jovial moments, of course, but was not known for wisecracking. Noting his raised brow, she was quick to speak again. "We could stand here all day, but perhaps Bansat could not. We must keep going if we are to hope he is well."

Hashirama agreed wholeheartedly. "Hai. I believe we're in the Ozmone Plains already," he said, gesturing to the landscape. Instead of the inundated wadis and thick vegetation, there was nothing but open meadows and stone formations covered in moss. The heavy thunderstorm was still active, however.

He paused a bit to admire the scenery but was interrupted by a loud shout of, "Argh! Someone, anyone, help! *snort*" The shinobi threw a quick glance at his partner, who nodded and removed her coat and hat as he did the same and sealed them in his pouch. They both then took off in the direction of the shout, running as fast as their experience would allow.

_(Ozmone Plain, the Switchback)_

It would be a safe assumption that Bansat, veteran of Clan Centurio and expert hunter, was not having a good day. He had cleared the Dagan Flats and the Shred of the Wu prowling the area (according to the advice he got, his target detested Wu), which had been difficult enough on its own. Then, he found the mark, only to provoke it into chasing him.

This is what he was currently doing; running away from an angry, gigantic bipedal monster with several smaller (though still angry) monsters hot on his trail as well. Included in that number were four Mesmenir, at least five Wu, a Viper, a pair of Zu, and even a Red Chocobo. "Dammit, why me?!" he shouted as he ran towards the entrance to the Zertinan Caverns. Though the monsters there were stronger, he knew that Ozmone's fauna were too frightened to approach it.

High above the unlucky Seeq, the huge Slaven relative prepared to perform a powerful Spinkick. It lowered its head in order to judge the height of the attack when trees suddenly emerged from the ground and wrapped themselves around its legs, stopping the attack and allowing its quarry to escape unharmed.

Bansat breathed a sigh of relief when he saw a nearby briar wrap itself around many of the monsters and were either stabbed to death by the thorny branches or were riddled with poisonous arrows. A pathetic mewing sound issued from the chocobo's gullet as its neck was snapped by a sturdy branch.

Then he noticed that standing not far from the carnage were two of his fellow clanners, Synneva and Hashirama. The brunette had his hands clasped together in a strange handsign, while his partner had her bow at the ready. Perhaps the ninja was able to control plants somehow, the seeq couldn't be sure. Either way, they'd just saved his hide. "Harr, it took Monty forever to send help, *snort*. But I'm glad ye showed up. That couldn't have ended well as it did, ha-ha."

Much to the veteran's surprise, Synneva frowned at him. "Only you could mess up a simple hunt this much, Bansat. And I was told you were an expert."

The hunter in question merely shrugged. "Eh, ye can't win 'em all, right? Anyway, m' hunt's not over. Still gotta kill the big guy here," he said, pointing his finger at the giant Slaven still struggling against the branches that held it fast. "I'd be much obliged if you two helped me out a bit, *snort*."

"I will hold you to that, sempai," said the shinobi, releasing the jutsu he'd been using and freeing the mark, which angrily turned to face the three of them. The Senju calmly drew his sword and got into his stance while his allies did the same. Synneva backed up until she was a fair distance away and nocked a poisoned arrow, while Bansat menacingly brandished a pair of large, heavy gauntlets.

"You two will wanna be careful, that beast's hide is real tough, it's like stone. A blade like yours will just break, buddy. You'll want to smash this fellow, not slice," he warned the pair. The viera nodded to concede his point but didn't put her bow away. The wood user, for his part, resheathed his weapon and instead took up his taijutsu stance.

"Let me take charge then, sempai. I've battled stonelike foes before, and I know how to deal with them," said the shinobi; he remembered the many times he'd fought with Iwa ninjas and their Iwa no Yoroi (Rock Armor).

The seeq was reluctant to just hand over command of the hunt, especially since he was the one on it in the first place. However, he couldn't deny that the newest member of the clan was experienced in his own right. He said he'd survived not one but two wars, after all. "Alright, I'll let ya lead. You could use the experience, hrah." Bansat didn't mention that there was something about the red-armored man that screamed, 'I am a leader, follow me'.

Hashirama nodded. "Hai. Here's what we'll do. The monster is most likely a close-range fighter, so Bansat-sempai and I will fight it up close. Synneva-san, I want you to stay back a fair distance and fire only when I say so. Understood?" the two hunters with him nodded and assumed their positions.

And so the battle began. Just as the wood user said, Enkelados focused its attention on the seeq as well as himself. The two quickly engaged the monster in ferocious hand to hand combat. They would bob and weave around the hulking Slaven, dodging its powerful but slow kicks while landing several blows of their own.

There was a rather exciting moment when Enkelados performed its Spinkick, but suddenly found that the stony skin on one of its knees had been broken by a combination punch by the hunter and the shinobi.

Unfortunately, that only proved to enrage the mark further as it stood up despite the pain and kicked them away and ran towards the archeress positioned some distance away. Luckily, Synneva used her natural speed and grace to avoid the beast's charge.

The beast kept charging forward, unable to stop. It soon crashed headfirst into one of the old, rusted-out airship remains dotting the landscape. Hashirama pointed towards where the monster was temporarily trapped.

"Bansat-sempai, it's time! Let's end this hunt! Get ready to fire Synneva-san!" he shouted. The viera nodded and nocked an arrow to her bow while Bansat eagerly punched one hand into another. "Wait for my signal, and then sempai and I will charge and soften up its head. At that time, I want you to fire as quickly as you can. Understood?"

The silverette looked at him with the classic impassive viera stare. "Yes. Let us finish this, it is getting quite late."

Meanwhile, the mark has somehow extracted itself from the wall and roared, charging at them with unbridled fury. In a move many people would consider impossible, Bansat and Hashirama both jumped upwards until they were eye level with the beast and then punched it simultaneously. Their combined fists shattered the stony exterior of the beast's face, causing it to roar in pain.

"Synneva-san, aim for its brain!" shouted the shinobi. She pulled back the bowstring to fire two arrows when she felt something in the back of her mind. '_Aim for its gullet,' _a tiny voice urged. _'That beast can keep going even if its brain is destroyed. Severely damaging its spinal cord is the only surefire way to eliminate it.'_

The viera had to pause. She didn't know the anatomy of a Slaven; she'd never faced one before. _'Huh? What is this voice in my head? It was never there before and it does not sound like my own…Who are you and what are you doing in my head?'_

The voice didn't respond, at least not right away. _'Is now really the time for that? With every second that passes the beast is getting closer. I don't know about you, but I'd rather NOT be trampled to death. Just sever its spinal cord already!'_

Without thinking, Synneva released the arrows she'd nocked into the bow. One arrow planted itself firmly into the monster's cheek, causing it great pain but not really stopping it. The other arrow struck true, entering Enkelados's mouth and piercing the back of its throat.

In the meantime, the monster couldn't handle the sudden cutoff from its motor functions and collapsed only a few meters from the huntress, rapidly dying from lack of oxygen. The Senju cautiously approached the monster and reached out with his sensory power. "The mark is dead. Synneva-san's shot was perfectly aimed to sever its nervous system, paralyzing it and suffocating it. I've never seen such sublime marksmanship; where'd you learn how to shoot like that?"

Synneva dropped her impassive mask for just a second to allow a small smile to form on her features. "Thank you. It was just a hunter's reflexes, I suppose. Something inside me told me where to aim for maximum efficiency; I merely followed the advice."

"Well whatever happened, we did it, *snort*. Let's collect the loot and get goin'. It's getting late." The seeq ambled over to the Enkelados's corpse and searched it for any valuables. Upon removing the valuable harness, he walked off and led them in a different direction. "Come on, we can rest at the Garif village tonight. Then we can return to Rabanastre in the mornin'."

As the seeq walked, Hashirama analyzed the body once more. He noticed that there was a speck of green in the harness every member of its species wore. After carefully extracting it, he inspected it closely. _'Hm! I believe this is an errmona leaf. I am willing to bet that the nomads in Giza would love to have this.' _Without another thought, he sealed the leaf into his pouch. He then dashed off to meet with his fellow clanners.

As they walked, the wood user realized he didn't know much about the different races of Ivalice. "Sempai, what's a Garif? I've never met one before."

The seeq put his large hand to his chin in thought. "There a race of warriors and such that live in harmony with the land, or somethin' like that. They don't use any steel or anythin', except for the rogue ones of course. Here, you can ask 'em yourself. We're here. I'd like to welcome ya to Jahara, Land of the Garif!"

While the men in her party talked of the people in the village, Synneva was lost in her own thoughts. _'Where did that voice come from? What does it want with me? Why is it here?'_

'_I'll tell you all that when you're alone. It's better that way so that no one thinks you're crazy.' _The voice said. The viera subconsciously nodded her head and walked faster to join her companions.

OMAKE

Makoto sat on the stone steps in front of the Uchiha complex, a large pair of headphones on her ears. Nearby, a huge stereo blasted her favorite song, 'Carry on Wayward Son'. Despite the size of the thing, no one else could hear the song due to the aforementioned headphones. The young woman cheerfully ignored everything but her music.

A rather burly Iwa nin approached the compound, a greedy look on his face. "Heh, today's a great day for me! You and me are gonna have some babies for Tsuchikage-sama!" he said, shooting a lecherous stare at the Uchiha.

Said woman, however, was contentedly ignorant of him, continuing to listen to her music. She hummed along, happily eating some dango as she did so.

The foreign shinobi was somewhat annoyed at the lack of attention he was getting, so he decided to shout instead of speak. "Hey, are you listening to me?! I'm trying to threaten you here!"

The brunette, however, didn't hear him. She finished her dango and began to sing in a low voice. "I was soaring ever higheeeeer…but I flew too hiiiiiiiiiigh…"

By now, the ninja was getting VERY irritated. So he shouted louder. "HEY, PAY ATTENTION TO ME! I SAID I'M GOING TO KIDNAP YOU AND TAKE YOU TO IWA. HEY! CAN YOU HEAR ME?! I'M THREATENING TO TAKE YOU AWAY FROM YOUR HOME!"

Makoto, of course, couldn't hear him even if she wanted to. She stood up, which excited the Iwa ninja at the prospect of a fight. He facefaulted, however, when instead of getting into a fighting stance the brunette did a heartrending air guitar riff.

The shinobi decided he'd had enough disrespect, so he did something that would gain her attention for sure. He formed several handsigns to cast a Doton jutsu. The boulders he launched hit the stereo, instantly shattering it and sending electronic pieces everywhere.

The Uchiha woman was confused at the sudden end to the song, and then looked over to the stereo and beheld its ruined state. Tears of rage formed in the corners of her Sharingan as she looked for the perpetrator of this horrible crime. "Y-you bastard…that was…"

The man grinned smugly. "Can we fight now? I was getting bored."

"MY FAVORITE STEREO! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW MUCH THAT COST?! YOU DICK!" she shouted, her Sharingan slowly morphing into the highly-coveted Mangekyo due to the loss of something precious. The ninja, of course, shrunk back in terror at the woman's fury. He turned to run, but unfortunately didn't get too far. "AMATERASU!"

For months afterward, the sidewalk near the Uchiha compound smelled like barbecue. And Makoto got a new stereo, a small reparation gift from the Tsuchikage. It was a truly good day to be an Uchiha.

A/N: That's it for this chapter. R & R, please! Unknownbyself, away! *runs off*


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

_(Ozmone Plain, close to Jahara)_

The sun set over the horizon, its rays of golden light painting the sky with an array of reds, yellows, and oranges. It was a breathtaking sight. The great Sogoht inched along its riverbed, unmindful of the infant Ichthons frolicking in its expanse. High above the river, a flock of Zu was heading back towards their nests after a long day of hunting for food.

The mighty river, swollen from the torrential rain in the Giza Plains, coursed through three separate regions. It was a place where the beasts of Ozmone gathered; it fed the imposing oaks of the Golmore Jungle, and sustained the village of people who were content to live in harmony with the land. Near this village was a desert-like area that reminded one of the Giza Plains during its Dry period.

A trio of warriors was currently crossing this seemingly-dry area. The first was a corpulent fellow with orange skin. He wore no shirt, revealing that despite his fat there was a large amount of muscle as well. He dragged behind him a large leather harness, complaining about its weight the whole time. He was known to his friends as Bansat.

The second warrior was a tall and graceful female. Her silver hair fell to her lower back, complementing her dark skin. A pair of long rabbit ears crowned her head, giving her an exotic appearance. The bow and quiver full of arrows on her back revealed that she was just as capable in battle as her companions. The name the mother Wood had given her was Synneva.

The third was the most interesting. He had long black hair that reached down to his mid-back and tanned skin. The man wore red armor as well as a metal-plated headband with a strange symbol carved into it. His eyes revealed a fighter who had gone through hell and come out on top. Friend and foe alike recognized him as Senju Hashirama.

These three had just finished a very tough mission involving a partially-petrified monster. The seeq was currently leading them towards the village. "We'll be there in a few minutes, *snort*. You can talk to just about anyone; the folks that live there are the real friendly sort. Just try not to draw attention to yourself, *snort*."

The shinobi and Synneva nodded. The viera knew of the Garif, and had even seen a few once; however, she had been fleeing the Wood at the time and thus didn't have a whole lot of time for introductions. Hashirama, on the other hand, didn't know what the Garif were; he had heard of their philosophies, however, and was looking forward to meeting them.

Eventually, they came to stop before an ornate wooden gate. Off to the left side of it were Gurdy and her portable chocobo stable as well as a Cartographer's Guild moogle. On the other side of the gate was an orange teleport crystal. The trio decided to heal up at the crystal first before heading into the village proper.

"Damn," swore Bansat. When his companions asked him what was wrong, the seeq replied that the guards were different from the ones he bypassed earlier. Getting in would be even tougher now.

Standing on either side of the gate were two men wearing strange masks and battle gear. The masks reminded the Senju somewhat of those used by the ANBU, but the guards' masks were much more ornate in nature. The pair stopped the group at the gate. "Halt. What business do you have here in Jahara?" asked one of the men, giving them a critical stare.

"We're here to collect our reward for the hunt one of you posted. I need to talk ta Sugumu," said the seeq. He looked back and forth between the guards, hoping for an answer.

"He has mentioned no such hunt, and you will treat him with proper respect. We cannot allow you to enter," responded the guard, crossing his arms.

"Why not?" asked the wood user.

"These are troubled times. War-Chief Supinelu has ordered us to be careful with outsiders; we shall not invite trouble if we can avoid it," said the other guard curtly. The absentee Hokage knew the procedure well; after all, he had given similar orders to the guards at Konoha's own gates. "Not to mention that you are in this group," they said, pointing to the seeq.

"Stand down, and allow them to enter. They mean us no harm," stated a somewhat-aged voice. The two guards immediately stiffened, which the Senju was quick to note. A man approached the gates from the other side. This man was different from the others; his mask was more ornate than theirs, and he wore a simple homespun robe rather than the tough leather gear worn by the warriors.

"Yugelu! What are you doing out here?" asked the guard, curious but apprehensive.

"I saw that these people sought entry into our village, thus I came to assist them," replied the man. He tapped the ground with a walking stick longer than he was tall. "I assure you both that they mean no harm. Sugumu did indeed petition them for aid. We elders wished to see what hunters could do on the battlefield; do you now wish to defy our orders?"

The guard on the left shook his head immediately, while the other did it more reluctantly. "Nay; we shall let them pass. But if they cause trouble, especially him, we will not hesitate to deal with them."

The aging Garif nodded his head. "As well you should. You three may proceed; I shall notify Sugumu of your return, Bansat. Your companions may relax for a bit and introduce yourselves to my people."

Synneva nodded while Hashirama bowed in respect. "Hai. I give you my word, esteemed elder; we shall not do anything to cause you or your tribe any undue stress."

Though Yugelu's face was covered by his mask, the Senju could tell he was smiling. "Thank you for that, although the bowing was unnecessary. Please relax; no harm will come to you here."

Hashirama nodded and together, the four of them crossed the bridge into Jahara, Land of the Garif. "It sounds as though someone here is well-known. Honored Elder, if I may ask, why did those men respond so negatively to the presence of my fellow clansman?" This question came from the only female of the group.

Yugelu chuckled, the low sound causing his mask to vibrate slightly. "He has come here several times before. Many of those times, he managed to place himself into some very troublesome situations. I believe the last time involved a runaway nanna and an angry Zaghnal."

Bansat snorted. "That wasn't my fault, completely. Supinelu set it off first. I was just minding my own business."

It was the aged man's turn to snort. "Minding your own business? Is that what you call trying to get the monster to chase the nanna instead of Supinelu? I seem to recall you shouting about paying for the damages."

The seeq didn't respond, but a scowl crossed his face. "I have other things to do," he said, then split off from the group to find his client.

"He does not handle being the target of others' jesting so well," Synneva observed. "In the short amount of time that I have known him, he has always been somewhat temperamental when it comes to jesting with him. If you would excuse me, there is something personal which requires my immediate attention." She veered off to the right and walked to a secluded tent to think.

Both the Garif and the Hume watched her go. "Something troubles her," said the Senju. "She's been like that ever since she slew our hunt mark. It is as though there is something in her mind she doesn't truly want there."

Yugelu nodded and turned to face Hashirama. "Outwardly she betrayed no emotion; I know this since I know that all daughters of the Wood act in this way. Even should they become separated from their home, as your friend is, they maintain this mask of calm indifference. It is how they deal with their pain; they bear in on the inside."

Hearing this saddened the wood user. He knew from personal experience the results of repressing one's sadness and anger; it had happened to the man he had once been proud to call his best friend. He tried to go help her, but found that the Garif elder's hand was on his shoulder, preventing him from going any further. "Let her go. She shall receive counsel of her own. But as to whether or not she will follow it, is up to her."

Hashirama wanted to disagree, but found that he couldn't. The elder was wiser than he was, so it might pay to heed his advice. "Hai; perhaps that is the best course of action right now. Still, I wish there were some small way I could help her."

The elder patted his shoulder. "Your kindness speaks well of you. Come, for I can sense that you and I have much to discuss."

The shinobi raised an eyebrow; he had some misgivings about being unable to help his friend, and he hadn't been expecting that sort of invitation. However, the elder had only given him sound advice so far; just as Montblanc had informed him earlier that day, it might be worth his time. "Hai," he said, the followed the man to his tent.

_(Jahara, later that night)_

Synneva paced back and forth nervously. The entity inside the back of her mind had yet to appear, and she was getting quite anxious. Luckily, the tent she was currently staying in had the front flap closed for privacy, so no one could see in if they wanted to. There was a small fire going in the center of the tent, giving the place a warm, homey feel.

Suddenly the flap to the tent opened and a Garif walked in. this individual, like the others, wore an ornate mask, but his was marked by the sheer size of it: it was at least twice the size of the others and his regal bearing gave off an aura of great wisdom. The man looked at her for a minute or two and then sat upon one of the animal furs spread upon the floor.

She turned to leave when the man spoke to her. "There is no cause for you to depart. We have invited you to stay," he said, gesturing to one of the furs on the floor.

The viera sat on the indicated spot. Despite never having known this man, her sixth sense determined that he occupied a very important position within the community. "Thank you, honored elder. You keep a lovely home."

The old Garif looked at her with the same impassive stare that she herself was so used to giving. Several minutes passed before he responded, "Something has planted the seeds of doubt within your mind."

Synneva blanched. "I do not know what you are talking about. There is naught that causes me worry; perhaps it is merely the fire's light that gives the illusion of trouble."

Her statement was met by a slow shake of the head. "I have been known to be many things in my lifetime; however, I have never been known to be a fool. I can see that there is some issue beneath your calm exterior; your eyes betray you. I can offer the counsel you need; you have only to accept."

'_That's a good idea; trust me, that fellow knows what he's talking about. I'd advise you to take him up on his offer,' _said the voice, making itself known once again.

"I see that you are talking again. Now, I demand answers. Who are you and what are you doing inside my mind? I do not recall inviting any outsiders," she said in a firm tone of voice. The voice had told her nothing of whom it was and she was tired of it. She was unaware that she was speaking out loud and thus, the elder could hear everything she said.

"Ah, so that is the cause for worry. You have someone or something within the confines of your mind and it is causing you undue stress," said the Garif, nodding sagely. "The strongest foes are found not on the battlefield, but within oneself. Here, I shall make this easier for you," he stated, grabbing a small pouch he had on his hip. He reached inside and pulled out a pinch of some sort of silvery powder and threw it into the flames.

The fire seemed to burst before Synneva's very eyes as the flames turned a bright yellow. The man spoke in a strange language. The viera's eyes bulged out in surprise as she realized what the man was doing. Though she was unfamiliar with the language, she could instantly recognize shaman arts when she saw them. The powder's purpose, however, eluded her.

After a few tense minutes of the Garif chanting in that strange language, the fires parted somewhat to reveal a woman. The former wood dweller's jaw almost dropped to the floor; her boss Montblanc kept a picture of her in his office that he gazed at lovingly on occasion, though he never told anyone her name.

Like most viera, she had a lovely tan that was enhanced by the very feminine curves as well as powerful muscles. Her snow-white hair barely reached her shoulders and framed a face that despite it clearly belonging to a warrioress still possessed a cute demeanor. She wore clothing the color of the forest, and a great longbow was slung across her shoulders. Most interestingly, however, was the fact that her ears were bent slightly backwards, like those belonging to a hare.

"So you are the one inhabiting her conscious. I have not seen you in a great many years; what are you doing there?" asked the man in a tone that suggested surprise.

The woman gave him a sad smile. "Uball-Ka, it's been so long. Tell me, have you made Great-Chief rank yet?"

The now-identified Uball-Ka chuckled dryly. "Yes I have, after a great many years of course. But I digress. You have something to discuss with my friend here? I have noted that you inhabit the back of her mind."

"Oh, right. Well, Synneva, I guess introductions are in order. My name is Shara. I was a great friend to Montblanc; I'm sure you know who he is," said the woman. Upon receiving a nod, she continued. "I'm guessing you want some answers, huh?"

Synneva nodded. "First, I would like to know exactly how you managed to appear within my consciousness. I know from experience that it is exceedingly difficult and dangerous to enter a viera's mind, let alone inhabit it. And you said you 'were' a great friend to Montblanc; did something happen to make him an enemy of yours?"

"Wow, we're starting with a headrush. To answer the question of just how I ended up in here, it's a very long story and I hardly know the full details myself. As for the other question, it's not that we're enemies, it's that so much time had passed that he's probably forgotten all about me," she replied, scratching the back of her head.

Her 'landlady', so to speak, shook her head. "That is not the case. He believes that you have passed on, but not only has he not forgotten you, he has actually erected his own personal shrine to you. It is both endearing and slightly frightening at the same time."

"Really? Aww, that's so cute! He always WAS a hopeless little romantic. But anyway, do ya have any other questions you'd like to ask me?" she asked. Internally, Synneva wondered at the informal language Shara was using.

"How is it that you speak in the manner of a Hume? I do not know of any other viera who speaks in the manner that you do," replied the silverette. "I would also like to know just what is your purpose in guiding me as you have today."

The elder huntress put her hand to her chin in thought. It was a very familiar gesture to the younger of the two; she had seen Montblanc in that pose many times. "Well, it's like this: unlike other viera, I wasn't born in the Wood you're familiar with. I was actually born and raised in the quiet town of Muscadet. There were lots of viera there, plus folks from other races, so I learned how to speak just like them, much to my mother's dismay."

Shara then fixated her gaze on her 'landlady'. "My purpose in guiding you is to help you grow. See, I'm actually still alive, though just barely. I'm in the custody of a fellow named Shini something-or-other, and he promised that if I helped to shape the future of Ivalice then I'd have pretty much free reign to visit Monty whenever I want. So that's why I'm gonna help you become a great huntress, even more so than you already are."

"I can understand your motives, and I would like to thank you for your assistance earlier today. It is likely that the hunt would have had a less than favorable outcome had you not chosen to offer counsel. But I feel that I must warn you; there are many issues i have yet to deal with, and having a mental tenant shall not make them any easier," she admonished.

Much to her surprise, the shorter-haired viera smiled widely. "I don't mind at all! It's been so long since I've been able to talk with anyone living anyway. I love a challenge! So, are we partners now?"

Synneva agreed. They spent the rest of the night just talking to each other as well as to Uball-Ka, who the viera recently discovered was actually the Great-Chief of the tribe. As the hour grew long, the viera decided that it would be in her best interest to retire for the night. She (and her tenant) bade goodnight to the Great-Chief, who dismissed her with a kind smile.

When she had gone, Uball-Ka shut his eyes and contemplated the situation. _'I hope that you know what you're getting yourself into, daughter of the Wood. The path ahead of you will surely be fraught with danger and grief. Ah, to be young again…' _With that last thought, the ancient Garif closed the flap to his tent and did not emerge until later that morning.

_(Jahara, the next morning)_

Hashirama and Bansat stood at the front gates to the village, patiently awaiting the arrival of their friend. At least, the shinobi was waiting patiently. The seeq was somewhat less patient, however. "Where is she? She was supposed to be here ten minutes ago!"

The Senju shook his head at his comrade's impatience. "Calm down, sempai. I'm sure she will be here soon," he reassured, leaning on one of the gate posts. "Ah, here she comes now."

Right on cue, the viera walked calmly down the path with her bow slung over her shoulder. The wood user noted that she seemed far different than she did the previous day. It seemed as though a great weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

She smiled at them briefly before walking forwards. She turned back and waved at the village, then continued to go forwards, back into the Ozmone Plains. "Come, we have other places to be. I am sure you two do not want to remain behind," she said in a tone that to anyone else sounded mildly amused at best. However, to her companions it sounded like she had sent them a parade complete with balloons.

They quickly rushed over to where the viera was headed, and departed Jahara together.

OMAKE

Tobirama, Daisuke, Isaku, Makoto, Mito, and several other important clan heads sat in the large room they used for emergency council meetings. The white-haired man attempted to calm the panicking shinobi and civilians, but was having no luck (as usual) until Isaku used his Big Head no Jutsu to forcibly calm them down (as usual).

"Everyone, it is important that you listen to me. It has recently come to my attention that there is a rather frightening phenomenon that will surely threaten the stability of Konoha should it continue to go unchecked. This phenomenon is responsible for extensive property damage as well as the cause for several cases of extreme paranoia among several of my clansmen," said Daisuke, who was noticeably shaky with fear.

"What sort of phenomenon?" asked Chokichi. He was curious as to what could possibly arouse such a negative reaction in the Hyuga, of all people.

"I am talking about a dreaded scourge that has plagued the Hyuga, Senju, and Uchiha clans for many years now. It had even affected Hashirama-sama and Madara-san. I am talking about the wild, ferocious, and above all deadly…fangirl." When he mentioned the word 'fangirl', he shuddered in fright.

"Fangirls? Just how are they dangerous?" asked Isaku. He'd never heard of such a thing.

"They are essentially unstoppable," said Tobirama. "They feel no pain, and their obsession drives them to come after you with a single-minded fury rarely seen anywhere else. If they are able to capture you, you will not leave in the same condition that you arrived in. this enemy most commonly targets the group of males known as 'bishonen', but they have been known to come after attractive females as well."

"How do you know this, Hokage-sama?" asked Yamanaka Midori, the head of the Yamanaka clan.

"He knows it because Hokage-sama and I have been attacked by those creatures before. Just like Daisuke-dono said, they're almost invincible. Kill one, and two more take her place. The whole thing gave me nightmares that I STILL haven't recovered from," Makoto said. "We've gotta do something, otherwise we'll be overrun by those things and believe me, it won't end well for ANYBODY."

At this, all the council members except Tobirama (who was busy coming up with a plan), Mito (who was nervously trying to calm a panicked Kyubi), and Makoto (who had somehow procured a giant uchiwa fan and was currently brandishing it like a sword) were sweating bullets, writing their wills, or gearing themselves for battle.

Then they heard a sound that chilled them to their very core. The heavy doors to the council room were suddenly blown off their hinges as a swarm of teenage girls invaded the area with cries of "Tobi-kun!" and "Kurama-chan!" The council members instantly panicked.

The scene was utter chaos. Left and right, shinobi battled against the fierce grip and unstoppable lust of fangirls. Makoto was back-to-back with Mito, brandishing the uchiwa fan and a katana, respectively. Their teamwork was flawless, but the enemies just kept on coming. Eventually they fell and were swarmed by the enemy.

Several hours later, the fangirls had finally had their fill and left. The carnage was apparent; while there were no deaths, many of the clan heads would likely be traumatized for life. Tobirama had somehow managed to hold them off with his famous Suiton: Suijinhekki (Water Release: Water Encampment Wall), but suffered severe chakra exhaustion as a result. Makoto and Mito were unconscious and covered with bruises and what appeared to be hickeys. Daisuke and his wife Setsuka were hugging each other for comfort, surrounded by a pile of Jyukened fangirl corpses.

It would take a long time for any of them to recover.

A/N: Thanks for reading. Next chapter, the journey to Bur-Omisace begins! Unknownbyself, away! *gets on a rocket*


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

_(Jahara, Banks of the Sogoht)_

Hashirama stood in front of the low fence that Gurdy used to corral her chocobos, a recently-purchased Cartographer's Guild map in his hand. He looked back and forth between the large yellow birds, trying to find the one he hoped would be a solid mount. "Would you kindly pick one and just get on it please? I'd like to be back in Rabanastre sometime this century," said Bansat, impatiently.

"Be patient, Bansat. He has never ridden one before, most likely. Let him take his time," responded Synneva, shaking her head at her companion.

That was only a half truth. The shinobi had never ridden a chocobo, true, but he WAS familiar with mounted animals; he just preferred to go on foot since he actually travelled faster that way. In his youth, he'd ventured to Tetsu no Kuni and ridden several horses there; the animals were unsuited to shinobi life, but were perfect for a samurai's way of fighting.

Eventually, he selected one and Gurdy led the bird to the outside of the fence. She handed him the reins, telling him that, "Try not to push the little guy too hard, kupo. They might be beasts of burden, but they can feel pain too. And remember, it can only carry you for so long; after that it'll get uncomfortable and will try to boot you off. Safe travels, kupo."

With a newly confident air, the Senju put one foot into the stirrup and mounted the chocobo, which turned its neck around to give him a friendly look. "She's real friendly, kupo. You don't need to worry about her ignoring your commands or anything," said the moogle. "When you come back I'll have a nice big pile of Gysahl Greens to give you, okay girl? Be safe, kupo," she said to the beast, which gave no indication of acknowledgement.

The three of them then gave the signal, and the chocobos sped off to their new destinations.

_(Ozmone Plain, Haulo Green)_

"So, the quickest way back to Rabanastre is to take the same route we used to come here, but astride these chocobos it'll take only a little while, *snort*. After that it's only a matter of crossing the Giza Plains," said the seeq. The chocobo he was mounting was somehow able to support his large frame without difficulty; there were theories that the beasts were actually stronger than they were given credit for.

"I'm afraid, then, that you will have to make the journey back by yourself; Montblanc has asked that Hashirama and I go to Mount Bur-Omisace in order to complete some personal business," said the viera, briefly looking back at the Garif village.

"Really? That's a shame; I was hoping that you guys would share the story of how we handled that Slaven, *snort*. Oh well," he responded. "Oh, and before I forget, watch out for the undead in the Paramina glacier; those fellows don't play around."

"You need not remind me; I know of the dangers already. My partner has never ventured that way, though. I would be willing to bet that he could use all the advice you and I have to give," she said, tilting her head back towards the shinobi, who had remained uncharacteristically quiet throughout the entire ride.

Hashirama was lost in thought as he rode his chocobo. His mind wandered back to what he'd done the previous day.

_(Author Style: Flashback no Jutsu!)_

The shinobi was currently walking around the village, talking to the residents and gaining a perspective into their way of life. He learned much from just talking to the warriors and herders as well as what elders he could find; Yugelu and Supinelu had spoken at great length to him.

He was currently approaching the Garif trader; he was in need of some new equipment. His shinobi armor, while sturdy, was now far too dirty and rusted to be of any more use; in addition, both pairs of his leather boots were soaked through with rainwater and he was sure that he'd need a replacement pair or two.

The trader looked at him with a cheerful expression. "Come in and take your time, for the world has much of it for the taking," he said, opening his tent and ushering the wood user inside.

Once inside the tent, the shinobi could see a great variety of weapons, armor, and various sundries for sale; it vaguely reminded him of the armories in Konoha. The main difference was that this shop catered more to the passing mercenary or soldier rather than to the ninja. He looked over the goods for sale; weapons such as guns or bows were of little use to him, so he ignored them.

After cruising the shelves for a small length of time, a small set of scrolls caught his eye, especially one labeled 'Shear'. He asked the trader what this technick did, which the Garif responded with, "It reduces the target foe's resistance to magicks or other special attacks. You may have a use for it."

After some deliberation, he decided to purchase 'Shear', a pair of sturdy new nanna hide boots, as well as a long bamboo pole with two small blades jutting out of each end. He turned to leave after sealing the pole into his weapons pouch when he saw it.

It was a set of armor that, like many others, covered one's arms as well as their torso. Unlike the others, however, this set was lightweight and looked like its composition was made up of separate plates. "I see that you are interested in the Shielded Armor; that is a good choice. Not only is it lightweight, but is imbued with powerful Protect magicks that will not dispel," said the merchant, noticing his intrigue.

Hashirama put his hand to his chin in thought. While full-body armor was considered an unnecessary item for shinobi (since it restricted movement), this suit could be easily modified to allow for freedom of movement. Additionally, the fact that it was permanently reinforced with protective magick was a bonus; it would bolster his already-mighty defenses.

After bidding goodbye to the merchant, he retired to the tent he shared with Bansat to modify the armor. He cast aside the chainmail and leather shirt beneath the armor and then decided to cut away small pieces from the breastplate, shoulder pads, and long gauntlets. What he was left with was basically a newer, stronger version of his old ninja armor with a distinctly western flair to it.

He then looked at his hitai-ate and decided to modify that as well; the odds were that he'd need protection for more than just his forehead. In the end, he took the metal from the discarded pieces of the Shielded Armor and welded them into the hitai-ate's metal using a Katon jutsu (he made sure to use it carefully; he didn't want to start a wildfire). His new headband looked exactly the same but was now slightly heavier and the Protect spell would also protect his entire head.

Wiping the sweat from his brow, he looked proudly at his work. With the new weapons, armor, and technicks he found in this world, he would become a stronger shinobi.

_(Flashback no Jutsu: Kai!)_

While the shinobi was lost in his own thoughts, the three of them arrived in a small clearing with a blue crystal hovering off to one side. Synneva grimaced a bit at reaching the area; this was the entrance to the Golmore Jungle. She and Hashirama quickly dismounted, after which the chocobos ran off to return to their corral in Jahara. "I suppose this is where we say goodbye, then. *snort*," said Bansat.

"It isn't. Remember what joushi told us; it's not 'goodbye', it's 'see you later'. So, we shall see you later, sempai," responded the shinobi, shaking the seeq's hand. The corpulent hunter then shook the viera's much smaller hand. With one final wave, he turned his chocobo around and left them in the clearing.

The Senju looked towards the looming gate to the jungle which was covered with overgrown vines and flowers. Being in tune with the natural world, he could easily pick up the heady floral scents coming from the depths of the forest. He could also detect natural energy, powerful and ancient beyond belief; there was no doubt his sage mode would be extra potent here.

He also noticed that his partner balked somewhat at the idea of entering. She unconsciously balled her hands into fists and lowered her head as though in shame; she also said several words in a strange language that the ninja didn't understand. After a while, she raised her head once more and stopped chanting, though she didn't unclench her hands.

"Come, we must cross this place quickly; it would not do to dally. Many wayfarers have quickly fallen here to the deadly nemeses of panthers and gargoyles, or the toxicity of the Malboro," she said somewhat urgently.

Hashirama raised an eyebrow. "Is this place truly that dangerous? I felt its life energy; it is very vibrant."

The viera nodded her head. "Yes it is. Even a spiritually-unaware Hume can feel the Wood's life force; it is no surprise that you can detect it. Unfortunately, the life energy you feel belongs to the various monsters and deadly flora within. We had best advance with caution, as I above all others am unwelcome here."

The wood user would have asked why, but she strode forward (albeit hesitantly) and would've left him behind had he not gotten his act together.

_(Golmore Jungle, Paths of Chained Light)_

As soon as they entered the Jungle, the atmosphere changed dramatically: instead of the bright, direct sunlight of the Plain, the foliage covered and hid away most light, leaving the path they walked on very dark. Additionally, the shinobi felt something in his gut that told him they were being observed by someone, though by who was as yet unknown to him.

The local monsters were very fierce, a factor that both excited the shinobi as well as making him wary. He used his new pole to crush the skull of an unlucky panther and then in the same fluid motion kicked away another that had tried to attack him from behind. Some distance away, a small group of gargoyles dove towards Synneva only to be riddled with arrows.

The panther that had been kicked away eventually decided that the ninja was too troublesome a target, so it went for the female, apparently forgetting that she was of the same race that hunted its kind for food and in self-defense. This lapse in preservation instinct proved to be its undoing as its skull was firmly pierced by a long green-colored arrow.

"These foes are the toughest I've encountered in Ivalice so far. Unlike the ones in Ozmone, these do not fall after only one or two hits," noted the shinobi, searching a panther's body for loot. "I have to focus my weapon strikes in their vital spots or else use my adamantine taijutsu to dispose of them."

"Of course they are. The power of the Wood flows through their very souls; it makes them far studier and stronger than they would be if they were living anywhere else but here. Indeed, you may consider the Jungle itself is against us."

"An entire jungle being hostile, huh. Well, I can't say I've ever had a natural phenomenon as an opponent before, except Kurama perhaps. Oh well, I guess there's a first time for everything then. I can't wait to see how this turns out," he said cheerfully, following his partner's lead.

"Your optimism frightens me sometimes. And just who is Kurama? Back at the clan house you never mentioned any Kurama," she asked.

"Kurama? That's just the big bad kitsune you saw in your visions," he answered, warily looking around the huge trees. He was sure that there were people watching him, but he couldn't see them; he only saw shadows that disappeared as soon as he noticed them. _'Whoever that is is really good at stealthy observation; even better than many shinobi I know. Just who are they?'_

"I thought his name was Kyubi, since you called him that whenever I asked about it."

Hashirama shook his head. "Okay, first off, Kurama is the true name. 'Kyubi' is nothing more than a title that means 'Nine-Tails'. It's not a true name. Secondly, despite the voice and general menacing-ness Kurama is actually a female; believe me, I was surprised when she told me so herself. Imagine my shock when I discovered that the most powerful of the Biju (Tailed Beasts) was actually a woman! It was a day full of surprises, I tell you."

Synneva shook her own head. "You are unbelievable; you face the most fearsome beast in your homeland and you do not even know its gender. I cannot say I know you sometimes."

An easy grin crossed the ninja's features. "Mito-chan said the same thing. Come on, which way is the mountain? I feel as though we've been in this forest for ages," he said, taking out a kunai and using it to chop down an obtrusive fern.

"It is true; in this place one tends to lose all track of time. The Paramina Rift and the mountain beyond it are this way," she said, going off in a completely different direction than they had been going in thus far. The shinobi was somewhat hesitant to follow her, afraid that he was going to get lost; eventually he remembered that his partner knew the area well, so there was no need to worry. The fact that they discovered a highly useful Map Urn (which shed light on the path they were travelling) was additional reassurance.

Soon they came to a large, glowing rune floating several inches off the ground. Upon closer inspection it was discovered that the rune wasn't just a magickal pattern; it was similar to a Paling in that it prevented things from getting past. Unfortunately, they were included in those things. The viera slowly removed her armband and held it up in front of the rune; it seemed to pulsate and waver but did not disappear. She then tried to walk through it but was repulsed. "This is strange; the Lente's Tear in the armband should have afforded us passage."

The ninja slowly approached the rune, looking over it with a critical eye. "It seems that this particular one's been modified to resist the power of the gem in some way. But it does respond to the jewel, so we can use that to our advantage."

Synneva raised her eyebrow in curiosity. "Advantage? What do you mean?"

A devilish grin spread across Hashirama's face. "If we cannot dispel it, then the only way through is to shatter it completely," he said, unsealing an inkpot full of chakra ink and a calligraphy brush.

"Shatter it?! How are going to accomplish such a thing?"

"It's easy. I'm going to use my fuinjutsu in order to amplify the amulet's power. If it all goes well its power will be too much for the barrier, destroying it and allowing us to go through. Simple as that," he said, taking the armband and inscribing it with the seals he normally used to enhance his physical performance. When he finished, he took the armband and slammed it against the rune, glowing brightly as it did so.

It was only a short while before the magick glyphs were overwhelmed by the magnified power given off by Lente's Tear, and soon cracks appeared on its 'surface'. Eventually, the cracks grew and the entire barrier shattered with nary a sound. "There, see? I told you my idea would work."

His partner shook her head in disbelief. "I…never thought that would actually work…this is unbelievable."

He smiled at her. "Believe it. Now, shall we get going? We do have someplace to be after all," he said, handing her back the armband, the seals once covering it disappearing due to their usefulness being at an end. The viera, still in shock, walked forward robotically, her partner following her.

After a while, they came upon a huge gate that lead to a clearing with no ceiling, instead featuring a large hole that allowed shafts of sunlight to pour in. however, that wasn't what caught their attention: a large dragon seemingly made of plants prevented them from going any further. The dragon roared as it barred the way out of the jungle, setting the partners on edge.

The viera growled. "The Elder Wyrm, here? I had thought it was sealed away by the tribal elders!" she exclaimed.

'_Apparently they didn't use a tight enough seal. Dammit, who the hell let it out again?!' _shouted Shara from within Synneva's mind.

While the viera would have asked her tenant about her history with the Elder Wyrm, she had more pressing matters at the moment; namely, narrowly escaping death in the form of a large fireball issuing from the beast's mouth. She quickly nocked an arrow and let it fly, but unfortunately the beast knocked it away with its tail.

Meanwhile, her ninja partner was in some problems of his own. Mainly the fact that the dragon was accompanied by a pair of gigantic golems that resembled a jutsu he once encountered near Iwa, but upon closer inspection the golems were revealed to be made of living wood.

After dodging a synchronized punch by the golems as well as a tail swipe by the Wyrm, the gears in his mind began spinning frantically, trying to find an advantageous strategy. _'A ninja must use everything to his advantage, including the terrain…and the architecture as well.' _The words of the head of the Nara clan ringing in his head, an idea suddenly crossed his mind.

It was…well, it was reckless and slightly demented (he'd risk running out of chakra), but as his fiancé would say, to hell with the consequences! Gathering up his chakra, he flashed through the handsigns he'd used to defeat his enemies and establish Konoha. "Mokuton Hijutsu: Jukai Kotan (Wood Release Secret Technique: Nativity Of A World Of Trees)!"

Instantly the ground in the clearing came to life as many sturdy tree branches exploded from the fertile soil, snatching up the golems and even the huge dragon. The branches were unrelenting in their grip and slammed the unfortunate victims against the roof until the targets were knocked out. Then, the Senju molded his chakra again and the branches began to fuse with both the monsters as well as with the clearing itself.

After a while, there was no trace of there ever being monsters in the first place, only a massive clump of trees near the roof that, upon closer inspection, were marked by beautiful, lifelike engravings. The flowers dotting one side of the construct gave off a sweet, delicate floral scent that filled the clearing.

Down below, the pair had arrived in the clearing and encountered ferocious beasts; when they left, the only sign that they had been there in the first place was a lovely wooden work of art that could have been wrought by none other than Mother Nature herself.

The shinobi took out a food pill and popped it into his mouth while Synneva took a drink of water from her canteen. "I had thought I knew the full extent of your strength. But for you to put down the mighty Elder Wyrm with just one technique and make it a permanent part of the Wood itself, well I can safely say that I have gravely misjudged you."

Hashirama chuckled. "If it makes you feel any better, I didn't know whether my move would actually work or not. Not to mention that it took a lot out of me; I expended almost all of my remaining chakra. I won't be able to perform that move for a while."

"You will not need to perform such a move for a while either, for you two shall go no further until you have answered for your misdeeds," said a powerful, commanding voice. A group of warriors of the same race as the ninja's partner emerged from the trees, bows at the ready.

The wood user gulped nervously. _'Today just isn't my day.'_

ATTENTION

Makoto: listen up readers, this is important! I've just been informed that the author has several story ideas and excerpts in the works and wants to give you, faithful readers, short previews of a few of them. So without further ado, bring in the first one!

-Story break-

Tenmei Mikogami was not what one would call an impatient man, yet even one of the great Dark Lords had limits. He just about had enough with the sheer amount of paperwork; where was Ruby when he needed her, anyway? He was just about to flex his youki and destroy the vile sheets of paper when a soft yet raspy voice interrupted him.

"Still struggling with paperwork I see; you haven't bothered to learn Kage Bunshin, have you? You haven't changed at all Tenmei-san," said the voice. Mikogami blinked for a few moments; no one called him Tenmei-san except…

"Nagato-san, is that you?"

At his words, a man in a wheelchair rolled into the room, being pushed by a beautiful blue-haired woman. The man was very pale and sickly-looking and had long red hair, but his most striking feature was his violet eyes with a strange ripple pattern instead of irises and sclera. "It's been a long time, Tenmei-san. How do you fare?"

The Exorcist flashed an evil grin that would terrify most people, but the man and woman seemed unaffected by it. "I cannot complain, though I am most curious as to how you managed to arrive here; it was my understanding that you had died after using a forbidden technique."

Nagato gave his best approximation of an amused grin. "I thought that I had as well. But Kami had other plans for me, I believe. Now, I came not for pleasantries, but for business."

Mikogami's glowing eyes flashed with interest. "What sort of business?"

The Uzumaki gestured to the woman behind him. "Tenmei-san, this is my good friend Konan. She has recently made it known to me that there is a special group of children and their teacher who have taken it upon themselves to fight the evil that arises on campus. I would like to know who they are."

"Konnichiwa, Mikogami-san. It is pleasant to meet you," said the woman, bowing in respect.

The hooded man smiled. It wasn't often that the young ones showed proper respect anymore. "It is nice to meet you as well, Konan-san. Now, I believe the group you have informed my friend here is the Newspaper Club; they've recently made a name for themselves by putting an end to the Student Police's tyranny. Their adventures are quite amusing," he said, chuckling evilly.

"We're sure they are, but there's something I'd like to ask you, a favor if you will," said the redheaded man, coughing a little.

"Oh? What sort of favor?"

This time, Konan answered for the both of them. "Nagato wants to take them, teacher included, for a period of time during which our associates shall train them. We want them as strong as they can get in order to face the dangers they will soon be facing."

-Story break-

Makoto: That's it for this chapter. Hope you guys like the preview! Makoto, out! *flame shunshin*


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

(Author Style: Flashback no Jutsu!)

Jote calmly sat in her private chambers, meditating in a pose most would call the lotus. She didn't make so much as a single movement, not a twitch, not even the slow intake of breath. If one didn't know better, one would assume she was no longer amongst the living.

The truth was that the priestess was communicating with the Wood on such a level that its life force became her own, thus removing the need for any superfluous actions such as breathing. While she was doing this, she could see everything her cherished Mother saw, from the vast stretches of the Ozmone Plains to the underground depths of the Henne Mines.

Then a strange sight caught her (their?) eyes. A former daughter of the Wood was fighting Lente's treasured guardian alongside a black-haired Hume. The woman was fighting in a manner typical of a former Wood-warder, but seemed to give off a vaguely-familiar essence. Her companion seemed to burst with a power that rivaled the Wood's own.

They narrowed their eyes when the man performed strange signs with his hands, as though he were casting a spell. To their mutual shock and horror, the most surprising thing happened: tree limbs burst forth from the ground and actually attacked the Elder Wyrm! The faint traces of an angry frown crossed Jote's face as she and her Mother attempted to take control of the trees only to find that they refused to listen to her commands.

The limbs disregarded her input and kept on growing until they reached the domed ceiling, upon which they proceeded to repeatedly slam the Wyrm and its Treant allies against the hard surface before melding together, taking the dragon and golems with them.

Her face contorted into a complete scowl when she traced the life energies of the trees and found that they matched that of the strange man who pulsed with life force. Was this man a viera priest, able to command the Wood much as she did? No, the Wood told her that was impossible; his aura reeked of Hume with not an ounce of viera in him. Not to mention that he was clearly a warrior, not a cleric.

Frowning, she decided to get some answers from the man and his companion. She awoke from her meditative trance and stepped outside her home, signaling to one of her Wood-warders. Anja, current lieutenant of the viera warriors, stood sharply at attention. "Yes, milady? What is it that you command?"

"I am sure that the Wood has told you that we have trespassers. I want you to bring them here, for there is something strange about them and she wants to know what it is," ordered the priestess. Anja nodded wordlessly and sped off to her sisters-in-arms with Jote remaining in the background, hand on her chin in thought.

'_Whoever or whatever you are, the Wood will get answers from you; your power is a slap to the face of her own. Just who are you, you who wields power over Nature itself?'_

_(Golmore Jungle, Dell of the Dreamer)_

Hume and viera held their weapons at the ready as they beheld the surrounding enemies. Synneva had an arrow tensed and ready to go, while Hashirama held on to his pole with such force one could swear he cracked it.

Perched high above them, a company of viera warriors, known as Wood-warders, watched them intently, their own weapons drawn. Neither side dared to make a move, as they knew that the first to move made the first mistake. "Stand down," ordered the woman that the ninja guessed was their commanding officer.

Synneva looked at Hashirama and wordlessly asked him what they should do. He shook his head, as though saying that their best option at the moment was to surrender. She frowned at him but understood his position; not only were they outnumbered, but he was out of chakra and thus could not provide any means of escape.

After an agonizingly long minute that seemed to stretch on for hours, the hunters lowered their weapons but the viera did not put hers away. The Wood-warders raised their bows in response but were ordered by their captain to put them away. "Do not hurt them, Lady Jote has ordered us to bring them to her to face judgment."

Hashirama did not know exactly what it was that he was being judged for, but he knew not to further antagonize local populations, so he put his hand on his partner's shoulder and shook his head at her. "Synneva-san please put your weapon away. There's no way we can get out of this; not even I could sneak us away." She scowled at him, but did as he asked and requivered her arrow and slung her bow on her other shoulder.

When they saw this, the warriors jumped down from their perch and surrounded the pair; they were unarmed but still ready to subdue the trespassers if need be. Their captain, a woman named Rena, signaled her squad to lead the captives back to the village. The hunters had no choice but to comply and follow their lead.

(Flashback no Jutsu: Kai!)

Jote sat on her front porch, quietly staring into the reflecting pool that graced her small garden. A small fish darted to and fro, paying no mind to anything other than its immediate surroundings; it ate whatever insect crossed its path. She smiled at that; observing the beautiful grace of nature was one of her favorite pastimes.

While she was watching the small pond, another Wood-warder approached her. This woman, whose name was Rena, had reached the rank of captain at a very young age; she was hailed by her fellows as a prodigy among the viera warriors. She cleared her throat respectfully before addressing her superior. "Lady Jote, we have returned with the trespassers in tow."

The head priestess looked at her with her trademark gaze. "Send them this way. There is much I need to discuss with them," she ordered. Rena bowed in respect and went off to fetch their captives. When the warrioress had gone, Jote crossed her arms in front of her chest.

Her thoughts cycled around until she came to a prophecy that the Wood once gave her. _'I knew that your arrival would bring ill tidings, sister. Even when you are elsewhere, you still cause me trouble. Yet, I cannot find it in my heart to just abandon you as the Wood has done. Sister, why do you cause me this pain?'_

She shook her head to clear her thoughts and then went inside to put on her priestess outfit. Whether these trespassers were welcome or not, they needed to witness for themselves the strength of the viera race. Once this was done, she took a mahogany comb and ran it through her hair. She stayed inside for several minutes, after which she emerged in all her imposing glory.

No one said this openly, but the fact of the matter was that Jote was a very beautiful woman, desired by almost everyone in the village. As a priestess, however, she was firmly in the off-limits territory; the fact that no one ever saw any expression other than a serious one also served to scare off any potential suitors. Her stoic grace was still considered desirable, however.

The woman looked towards the path leading up to her hut to see that the trespassers were being led by Rena and her Wood-warders. She was able to get a good look at them before they arrived.

The female of the two was quite familiar to the priestess; she once wanted to join the company of Wood-warders, but was summarily rejected due to the fact that she was simply not good enough. The entire incident had been an ugly one; the girl, Synneva, left the Wood soon afterwards with only her bow and quiver in hand. The once-pure fur on her ears was stained black from leaving behind the one who had given her life. A very familiar scowl marked her features.

The male, however, was very different. He had richly-tanned skin that resembled that of a viera, but his distinct lack of ears or claws gave away his Hume identity. Long black hair fell down his back, and it was apparent that even without any other features that he was tall for his race. His overall demeanor was very regal and dignified; it was obvious that the man was a leader of some sort. He was the one she would talk to.

Despite the fact that they were surrounded and in hostile territory, the pair was still fully armed and ready to fight at any moment's notice. It was also quite clear that Synneva did not want to be here; her scowl and hostile aura were dead giveaways. The man, whose name she still did not know, projected a cool and collected aura not unlike her own, which was surprising since she knew of no Hume who could do that.

The pair was led to where Jote stood, after which the some of the Wood-warders left, though a few remained to protect their village leader. The priestess looked them over with a curious mixture of intrigue, disdain, and disinterest. "You are here due to the fact that you violated the Green Word and disposed of Lady Lente's prized guardian."

The Senju was quick to note that his accuser projected an aura of chastity and wisdom, similar to the one given off by the priestesses back in the Elemental Nations. He raised a black eyebrow in curiosity. "The Green Word? What is that?"

Jote seemed to frown at him as she answered his question. "The Green Word is the set of laws given us by Mother Wood. They are rules that every son and daughter of hers must follow. They dictate that none shall pass this place without the blessings of her people. Yet you both have not only gotten past the barrier without permission, you have actually broken it. Why have you done this?"

At this, the wood user stiffened somewhat, then remembered the harsh training that his father Butsuma made him go through. _'Your foes need only know that you did something, not why you did it. There's no need for them to know anything else.'_

Normally, he'd have no problem following this mantra, but there were several circumstances which made this situation different. Not the least of which was that he'd apparently intruded on tribal territory and destroyed their defenses.

He noted everything about the village as soon as they had entered it. The residents sent him looks that were both wary and disdainful, so that meant that these people were isolationist to some degree. They exuded the same type of life energy that had been present in the dragon and golems he'd fought, so that meant they were the ones controlling the beasts.

He came to a conclusion soon afterward: these people never left the forest and were extremely mistrustful of strangers. They erected powerful barriers to keep out visitors and were very protective of their secrets. Everything they did reminded him of the members of the Hyuga Clan. The best policy here was honesty, limited of course. He would only reveal scarce detail, nothing more.

The black-haired man stood tall and proud in front of the stern-looking woman gazing at him with something akin to disdain. The ninja's eyes betrayed none of his emotions, something the woman was quick to notice. "You harden your features so as to conceal your true self from me. No one has dared to do such a thing before. You are mildly impressive, for a Hume."

Hashirama didn't respond, instead preferring to utilize his shinobi training and looked straight ahead, avoiding her critical gaze.

"When I first saw you through Mother Wood's eyes, you were no different from the many other Humes that travelled through this area. Yet as we watched your battle with the Elder Wyrm, we saw that your power was unique among your kind. Just who are you, Hume, who wields power over not just the Wood, but had power enough to defy Nature itself? Are you like her, one who has abandoned the Wood?"

On the surface her voice was the epitome of calm and coolness, but if the years of interacting with the Hyuga clan had taught him anything, it was that there was most likely a strong undercurrent of emotions lying dormant beneath her calm exterior. Yet knowing this made it no easier to read her; she seemed like a true Hyuga, able to hide anything beneath that emotionless demeanor of hers.

He smiled internally; since he was so familiar with the infuriatingly-subtle tactics of the noble clan, he knew how to play these games. That meant he knew just how to push their buttons. It would be risky, of course (No one knew just how the powerful woman in front of him would react to being played with, especially since she held a position of authority), but Mito would say that there was nothing to be gained from not taking risks.

After deciding to play the game, he kept up his own stoic mask. "My abilities are no business of yours. I use them to defend myself and my allies and nothing more. As for my descendency, I have never so much as set foot in your precious Wood; I have no idea of what you speak of."

Jote frowned at the (apparently) blatant disrespect but righted herself just as quickly. Was this man playing with her? "You forget your place, Hume. You are in Mother Wood's domain. It would be easy for her to prevent your leaving. Now, I shall ask again: from what source are your powers? They are similar to my own, yet you dare use them for offense, against our guardian no less; as a Hume you must have obtained your powers through some dishonest means."

Hashirama's left eye twitched as his stony gaze met her own. "My ability to control trees is limited only to myself and has no origin that is as yet clear to me. Not even my brother can boast the same abilities that I can. You are making a mistake; they were most certainly not stolen from the Wood or anything else."

At first, the priestess believed that he was lying; after all, no other Hume she'd ever met could boast the ability to control trees like this man did. However, his completely sincere tone and willingness to look her in her eyes soon dispelled that theory. But if he truly didn't steal that power, where did he get it?

Then Jote remembered that during her training she once read a scroll detailing the most ancient and well-kept secrets of Eruyt Village. One of those legends spoke of a Hume who, along with his partner Lady Lente, established Golmore Jungle as well as the village using their unique control over trees and other flora.

There were certainly many parallels between that story and her current situation. This stranger did indeed have control over flora and travelled with a viera partner. However, there were a number of key differences.

The first difference was their physical description. Lente was always described as being very tall and graceful, even amongst viera, and had hair that instead of being white was a mixture of greens, browns and yellows that mirrored sunlight streaming through the foliage. Synneva was no taller than any other, and as far as grace was concerned she was rather clumsy; not to mention her hair was the standard silver color.

As for the Hume who partnered with Lente, he was certainly very tall for his race and black-haired. However, the man in that story was rather pale and had short, shaggy hair and a full, thick beard. Synneva's partner had no such facial hair and his black hair was kept neatly brushed and fell down his back. He was also richly tanned, which was why they had mistaken him for a viera at first.

The second difference was their attitudes. While Lente was renowned for being very kind and gentle yet unbelievably fierce at the same time, her partner was very loud, disrespectful, and brash. Synneva certainly had inherited Lady Lente's ferocity, but that seemed to be all she had. Her partner was very soft-spoken and, while disrespectful, was rather quiet and dignified.

Jote closed her eyes, trying to clear her mind of any stray thoughts. After a while, she opened her eyes, a determined yet controlled expression on her face. She was determined to discover the source of the strange man's powers, and if she had to use dishonest means to do so, so be it.

"I have made my judgment concerning you both." The younger viera's muscles tensed immediately, and her partner's eyes narrowed in concern (Or maybe it was anger?).

"Both of you are to stay here for one night, outside the village proper of course. On the eve of tomorrow, I want you both gone from here before the Wood changes its mind. We do not wish to see either of you in this place again," she said with finality.

Much to her (internal) surprise, the black-haired man bowed to her. "As you wish, Miko-sama. Synneva-san and I shall find somewhere to sleep for the night and then we shall leave on the morrow." With that, the man and his partner turned around to leave the area, Wood-warders observing them all the while.

When they had gone, Rena decided to approach her leader. "Lady Jote, why did you let them go? They perpetrated serious crimes against the Wood! You should have punished them!"

Jote then turned to the warrioress with a calm yet somehow malevolent expression. "It is not your place to question my judgment. Do not forget that they are not going to go unpunished; I have forbidden them from ever entering this place again."

Rena bowed in humility. "Yes, milady. Please forgive me for questioning your reasons, but may I ask how you are going to extract answers from that man? He only told you that his powers were unique to him and nothing more."

The priestess didn't respond at first, instead listening quietly to the Wood whispering to her that they were in the Spiritwood. "The mightiest oak does not notice a tiny dewdrop falling onto the smallest leaf," she said to the warrioress.

The Wood-warder lifted one silver eyebrow. "Milady? What do you mean?"

Jote stayed silent this time as she retreated back into her hut to meditate, leaving a baffled warrioress behind. Rena shook her head as she went to the other side of the Fane of the Path to train until sundown. She never could understand her leader's confusing proverbs.

_(Eruyt Village, Road of Verdant Praise)_

Hashirama and Synneva sat in small stools that decorated the sparse living room also occupied by the merchant Tetran and his partner Lulucce. Said merchants were slowly scooting away from the viera, who looked at them with an almost crazed expression.

The ninja looked over the merchandise, stopping once he came to a necklace made of gold. "Synneva-san, just who is that woman? She seemed important, but there was no mention of her name."

The viera turned around (much to Tetran's relief; he'd barely avoided being glomped) to answer his question. She began to tell him the stories of the village, long into the night.

ATTENTION

Daisuke: Hello, my name is Hyuga Daisuke, and I will be filling in for Makoto-san this week. The author of this story and my creator has handed me a document containing another glimpse into a project currently in progress. Please, sit back and enjoy.

-Story break-

He decided it would be prudent to leave before the woman noticed them, so he ordered Deidara to create another clay bird to carry them off. The Iwa nin grumbled his disagreement, but due to the commands Kabuto issued him he had no choice. He reached into his pockets, pulled out a pair of handfuls of clay, fed them into the mouths on his hands, and created another bird that carried them both away.

However, the bird did not get far as a terrifyingly-familiar voice cut through the air and halted their progress. "Banshó Ten'in (Heavenly Attraction of All of Creation)!" Instantly, Tobi and Deidara as well as the bird were pulled backwards at a dizzying speed. The three of them crashed to the ground unceremoniously as the force disappeared just as soon as it had appeared.

The masked Uchiha groaned slightly; he had not been expecting that attack and so had no time to make himself intangible. Deidara was a little worse for wear but was otherwise fine. The bird had lost its connection to the Iwa terrorist and just lay silently beneath them. The creaking sound of a wheelchair grew louder as it approached the prone shinobi.

It was then that Tobi heard the same voice that had attacked them earlier; it was a voice he had hoped to never again encounter. "We have been tasked to watch you two while Kabuto is dealt with. You shall not escape," said the voice, now revealed to be the redheaded Nagato. However, he looked quite different than what they had last seen.

He was still extremely pale and sickly-looking, though the slight rose tint of his skin betrayed the fact that he was no longer a zombie. He still wore the simple robe he'd been reincarnated in, but instead of being carried he rode in his wheelchair which was being rolled along by the very woman Tobi himself had killed.

The blue-haired Konan looked at him impassively, though the masked man could tell there was an underlying current of extreme disdain. If he had not been wearing his mask, one would have been treated t the sight of Tobi being as white as a sheet. "H-how…? How are you alive, girl?! I killed you!"

Konan kept looking at him but did not respond. She didn't need to; Nagato trained his own stare at the brunette. "You did, and it is not something Konan and I shall ever forget, or forgive. But it is not our duty to judge you; we promised to leave that to Abigail-sama," said the Uzumaki, eyes never leaving Tobi's own.

"Both of you were powerless to stop your own demise; it is fitting that you would have to leave it to another. But your friend, powerful as she may be, has no right to-urk!" His rant was cut off by a swift kick to the gut from an unexpected angle. He looked to where the kick had come from, and was greeted by another sight that made him pale.

The male figure had very pale, almost white skin. His eyes, thought they were the same color as the seraphic woman's had been, did not have the same heavenly grace to them. Instead, they sported slitted pupils and pure malicious intent. Long black hair fell down his back and purple markings lined his eyes, enhancing the figure's snakelike appearance. Tobi now knew he was staring into the face of a ninja hailed as a legend during his time. The face of Orochimaru.

-Story break-

Daisuke: That is all the time afforded to me today. Thank you for taking the time to read this chapter and preview, and we shall see you next week. *screen darkens*


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

The first rays of the morning sun broke over the horizon, painting the sky with vivid blues, purples, and pinks. Sunlight glinted off the water, giving the illusion of sparkles; naturally, this view went completely unnoticed by the people currently sleeping inside the hut. Except for one, of course.

Outside the hut, a man emerged from the interior, dressed in his sleeping yukata and a pair of straw sandals (he made them with some straw in Tetran's hut). He yawned and took a look at his surroundings; the sun had just barely begun to peek over the horizon; he guessed it was only five or six in the morning, at the latest.

The atmosphere reminded him of the quiet forests of Konoha; this made him think of how much he missed his home. He missed the beautiful sunrises, the shinobi running to and from to complete tasks he assigned to them, hell he even missed the fights his brother got into with the foulmouthed Uchiha woman.

But most of all, he missed Mito. The woman was very headstrong and could be a pain in the neck, true, but there was no one who loved him more (family didn't count). She was a woman whose beauty easily surpassed that of any other kunoichi or civilian as well (at least according to him; he couldn't vouch for anyone else). Altogether, Mito was someone that any man would want for his own. He was lucky she chose him.

Brushing aside those thoughts, he ruminated over just what it was he was going to say to the Gran Kiltias. He did not know the man personally, but he had been told the elder was very wise in the ways of the world. There was a possibility that he knew about the different worlds and how to travel back and forth.

Now that he thought about it, did he even want to return to the Elemental Nations? Of course he did, he dearly missed his family and his fiancé. But this world provided him with exciting differences that he'd grown accustomed to.

Here, no one referred to him as 'Hokage-sama' or tried to assassinate him. The people of Rabanastre and his fellow clanners knew him as Hashirama, and they treated him like a close friend instead of as someone in authority. Of course, taking orders instead of giving them took some getting used to, but he was happy as a member of Clan Centurio.

He was well and truly torn between whether to remain in Ivalice or return to Konoha and reassume the mantle of Hokage, though the latter had a stronger pull. He did have a village he'd sworn to protect, after all, and his family was there. Still, he had the chance to finally let loose and have fun in this land, which was not something he had often back home.

Then there was the matter of his emotional state.

Few had the opportunity to know the Senju intimately, but those who did knew that, even though he was an excellent leader, he was very laid-back and soft-hearted most times. He wouldn't hesitate to eliminate the enemy, of course, but he was also known to be forgiving and merciful, traits which his father and brother had labeled to be liabilities.

It was this merciful nature that led him to spare Madara's life even though the Uchiha made it clear their long friendship was over. He tried many times during that fight to get his friend to see reason, but the man had stubbornly refused. Even when Madara summoned Kurama, Hashirama had still believed his friend could be convinced to leave the warpath.

Needless to say, the battle ended somewhat anticlimactically with the Kamui, but deep down he felt as though it was his fault. If he had been just a little more stone-hearted he could've finished the Uchiha off and returned to his bride-to-be and his village.

'_Were you right the whole time, father? Am I really too laid-back to lead a shinobi village? Perhaps Madara or even nii-san would've been better choices for Hokage, I even told the people as much, but they said I should do it. That position is no place for someone as humble as I am…'_

He eventually decided that he would deal with it later; now was not the best time to trouble himself with all those negative thoughts. Maybe some training would help ease his troubled mind, since it always helped him before. Some light exercise and meditation would do him a world of good.

Smiling at the beautiful scenery (just how he managed to see the sunrise despite the tree cover was anybody's guess), he went back inside and emerged not a minute later dressed in a white t-shirt and shorts complete with matching headband (his necklace was around his neck, where it always was).

He set down a towel, a canteen filled with water, and a stopwatch and reached out with his sensory power. Upon finding that no one else was watching him, he tightened his headband (not his hitai-ate, using it for exercise would've been stupid) which had the kanji for 'willpower' on it.

The ninja then went about performing his usual exercise routine which consisted of stretches followed by three hundred each of push-ups, sit-ups, jumping jacks, and chin-ups. Secretly, he was thankful the many repetitions weren't as insane as the program followed by a weird cult of shinobi back home that wore awful green spandex and donned the ugliest bowl-cut hairstyles he'd ever seen.

After a while, he completed an hour of exercises (he didn't know how he knew an hour had passed since he completely forgot to use the stopwatch) and was very tired. He sat down on the ground, mopped his brow with the towel, and took a long drink of water. He decided to meditate for a while and then get ready for the day.

Hashirama undid his headband and put it on the ground next to him, followed by the canteen; he then assumed the lotus position, took a deep breath, and began to meditate. The events of the previous day worried him; he seldom ran out of chakra, even after using his ultimate technique.

He wondered just why using it the previous day against the Elder Wyrm was so exhausting; maybe being more in touch with nature would yield the answers he sought. Sage Mode, he decided, was perfect.

Most shinobi knew that several summoning contracts allowed the user to become a sage, most notably those of the toads and snakes. Senju Hashirama, however, was not most shinobi, and had developed a way to get around the summoning requirement. He did this through usage of his powerful Kekkei Genkai: he channeled his wood chakra and balanced it with the natural energy of the environment.

Normally, strange tattoo-like marks would form on his skin and his forehead would grow a marking that resembled a third eye. However, few knew that the Senju's version of Sage Mode would change (at least cosmetically) depending on his environment. For example, if he was near the coastline, his hair would get spiky and wild like a palm, or if he was in the desert, his hair would become prickly like a cactus.

This place was a lot like the forest back in Konoha, so he gained the familiar facial markings and third eye that he normally got. However, what wasn't normal was that the marks' coloring began to fade until they were white. His hair gained a speck of gray, and soon his head was capped by long snow-white locks; his skin darkened as well until it matched that of the residents.

In the meantime, he finally reached Sage Mode; if the viera had not mistaken him for one of their own before, they certainly would now. He opened his eyes and was greeted by the overwhelming sights and sounds of the jungle.

After taking a moment to calm himself and get used to his enhanced senses, Hashirama placed his focus on one of the ancient oaks lining the path. In this mode, he could clearly hear the voices of nature, the voices that none except very few had the privilege to hear. _'Konnichiwa. My name is Hashirama Senju and I'd like to ask you all a few questions,' _he asked, not physically but mentally.

Communication with the surrounding flora was obviously different than communicating with people; it was all done telepathically. The tree whose conscious the ninja focused his mind on 'spoke' with a deep baritone not unlike Madara's. _'What do you want to know, Hume?' _This question was worded in a slightly insulting manner, but the tone with which it was said suggested less scorn and more curiosity.

'_Recently I was involved in a battle with a powerful dragon, which I am sure you saw. I managed to finish it with one of my strongest techniques, but then something went wrong,' _he 'said'.

'_What was the problem?' _asked another arbor, the one on the opposite side of the path. It spoke with an accent like the ones he encountered in Kumo.

'_See, I know that the move uses up a lot of my chakra, but that's never been a problem with my huge reserves. Yesterday, however, I was absolutely exhausted after using it, which has never happened except during a certain fight I had weeks ago. I checked myself over and found nothing wrong externally or internally, so that means there's gotta be something wrong with my reserves themselves. I was wondering if any of you had any ideas.'_

This time, another tree with a high, fluting voice like that of a little girl spoke up. _'Was there anything unusual that happened during the fight? You know, the one with the dragon?'_

Hashirama was grateful that the trees judged no one; otherwise he may have not gotten any answers. Then there was also the fact that they were ancient beyond belief and had the wisdom to match; they had seen many things in their long lives. _'Nothing out of the ordinary…at least, I don't think there was. I only started feeling odd after I broke that barrier. I felt slightly heavy, but I just chalked that up to my gravity seals reacting to my chakra and getting heavier.'_

'_We don't know what a gravity seal is, but I guess it weighs you down so you can get stronger?' _asked the little girl tree, to which the Senju nodded. _'Hm, I've got a theory, but I don't know if you'll like the answer,' _it said.

'_What do you think it is arbor-san?' _asked the sage. He wondered what they thought; they had many years' worth of experience on him, after all.

'_Right, so my theory is that the Wood cursed you somehow,' _said the tree. The sage raised an eyebrow and was going to ask how but the tree answered before he could speak. _'When you first came here, we couldn't help but to notice that your life force is strong, very strong. When you did your transformation, the life force within you only got stronger, as strong as the Wood's own, in fact.'_

The gears in the Senju's head spun wildly as he put the pieces together. _'You all believe that the Wood feels threatened by my strength somehow, even though I mean it no harm. The 'curse' as you put it must be that it's sapping my strength somehow.'_

If the trees could nod, they would have. The Kumo-tree decided to elaborate. _'We mean that literally. When those seals are broken, they place a curse on the victim whose effects are similar to the Sap status and the Annul spell. They remove a huge chunk of your life energy and will keep sapping it each time you use abilities like that. The curse will also cause you to expend a lot more energy than normal.'_

'_Well, this is surprising news. I didn't think they had a countermeasure for chakra,' _responded Hashirama. He of course knew about the Sap status and Annul (several hunters complained of it in their stories), but he also knew that the usage of chakra in this world was rare and ways to affect it were even rarer.

'_It isn't a countermeasure for chakra per se, but it drains life energy which I guess is either the same thing or very close to it. Even with your huge reserves it still somehow affected you; the Wood really wants you out of here and won't lift the curse until you're gone, which I doubt it would do even after you left,' _responded the Madara-tree.

'_What makes you say that?' _asked the child-tree.

'_Think about it. The man clearly has the same abilities as that youngling Lente, but neither is he a viera nor is he a cleric; he is completely Hume in ancestry. The last ones to be able to do that were young Lente and her Hume partner, and though they're similar, they're also clearly different people. I guess it feels disrespected in some way.'_

'_Is there any way to remove the curse myself?' _asked the Shodaime.

'_There is none; the only way to remove it is if someone who has expertise in removing curses does it. The Wood's curse is strong, but a powerful-enough blessing should be enough to dispel it. The only place I know where there are people strong enough to do such a thing is on Kiltia's mountain, the one that Humes have dubbed Mt. Bur-Omisace. It is there that you will find the cure you seek,' _said the tree.

Hashirama put his hand to his chin. Even with his intimate knowledge of fuinjutsu, curses were a subject he didn't know much about, other than the Uchiha curse of course. He'd heard of curse seals, of course, but he had a feeling that this was something even his enormous life force couldn't counter.

Secretly, though, he was excited. With his huge reserves and enormous strength and knowledge, this world was not proving to be much of a challenge. Obviously, the curse had to be gotten rid of, but he was curious as to how he'd fare with extremely limited chakra.

It would be an interesting experiment; if the priests on the mountain were unable to help him get home, he'd design limiting seals and place them on himself once the curse was lifted. Suppressing the urge to design the seals and place them on right away, he thanked the arbors and exited Sage Mode.

Instantly, his features returned to normal and the enhanced senses went with them. He was slightly winded from the experience, most likely due to the curse he guessed. He took another drink from his canteen and went back inside the hut to get dressed for the day. He didn't notice that his crystal now had a yellowish tint to it.

_(Eruyt Village, Road of Verdant Praise)_

Thirty or forty minutes later, the shinobi and his partner stood in front of the covered path leading out of the village. The Senju was dressed in his Shielded Armor and headband, and Synneva wore her customary hunting clothes.

"Are you ready to leave here, Synneva-san?" he asked.

"I was ready to leave as soon as we arrived. Let us go, this place has too many negative memories attached to it," she said, walking forward.

Hashirama shrugged and walked forward as well. He stopped when he sensed someone running quickly to catch up to him.

"Wait, please, there is something I need to tell you," said the person, a young viera with short hair done in a bobcut style.

The ninja raised an eyebrow in questioning. "If you ever run into a woman named Fran, can you make sure she gets this message please? It's very important."

The girl handed him what appeared to be a letter sealed through some magickal means. Hashirama smiled and took the paper from her. "I will see to it that she gets this," he said and then kept walking.

She returned the smile with one of her own. "Thank you," she said, but the visitors were already gone.

_(Nalbina Fortress)_

Madara walked towards the balcony overlooking the desert expanse. He did this every day, as though he were waiting for someone; the truth was that he just appreciated a picturesque landscape like the one the Estersand had to offer.

The Uchiha peered over the edge of the structure and saw what he did every day: nothing but endlessly swirling sand and cacti that reminded him of Suna. He soon grew bored of just looking and decided to train; it was a much better use of his time anyway.

Picking up his gigantic fan, he jumped down to a courtyard beneath his balcony. This area was perfect for training since it was large and open, yet still very well shaded from the desert heat by the stonework and palm trees. The workers fortifying the wall just outside looked at him for a brief moment then turned back to their work, already used to seeing the shinobi jump down.

Paying them no mind, Madara started his katas with the fan, slowly at first then increasing his speed until he was no more than a blur. He then quickly drew a tanto and went through another set of katas for that then combined the two weapons.

He was in the middle of his combined exercises when Gabranth approached the man, his armor making heavy thuds as his feet met the ground. "Madara, today is the day of your assignment. They will be here in about thirty minutes, plenty of time for you to be ready." Without so much as an acknowledgement, the Judge Magister turned around and left.

The Uchiha put down his Uchiwa fan and his sword and resealed them. He wordlessly shunshined to his quarters and went to put on his armor. When that was done, he sealed the provisions and weapons he needed and walked out of his room, shutting the door behind him.

Madara made for an imposing sight as he walked down one of the ornate hallways that civilians were forbidden to enter. He didn't even spare a second glance at the rooms whose doors were open; had he looked he would have seen workers and scientists scrambling to complete their current project.

The armored ninja made his way to the hangar where the military airships were docked. Upon finding that the one he was looking for was in another dock, he went there and encountered the largest structure he had ever seen.

The airship was made of a strange black metal and seemed to block out the very sun with its presence. Multiple smaller ships surrounded it, which were obviously support fighters or the like. On one side of the ship, his Sharingan detected the letters S.S. Alexander on the side of the ship, indicating its name.

'_So this is the warship that the Archadian army is so proud of. It is quite an impressive craft; it will make for an interesting trip,' _he thought, deactivating his bloodline but otherwise paying no mind to Gabranth as he approached him.

"The Alexander is here only for maintenance; Judge Magister Zargabaath and Dr. Cid are already aboard. You will join a contingent of elites that are in charge of guarding them, the doctor especially. I expect you to guard them as though it were they who employed you and not myself. You will be duly recompensed upon your return."

Madara barely acknowledged the judge's statement. "Hai. I shall guard them with my life," he said in an emotionless tone that suggested large amounts of ennui.

The judge couldn't tell whether the shinobi was actually bored or just put up an emotionless front. It was entirely possible the man was actually interested in what he had to say but was disguising his intrigue. The man in his employ was extremely skilled in battle, perhaps more so than Gabranth himself, yet he knew next to nothing about the black-haired man.

Gabranth had tried to wrap his head around the mystery that was Madara Uchiha, but every time he found a lead it either disappeared just as quickly or turned out to be false. It was as though the ninja himself was leading him astray. Ridiculous.

Or was it? He knew that ninja jealously guarded their secrets and this man was no exception; all he knew about Madara was his name and his occupation. Not that he cared, but he knew even Ba'Gamnan's criminal history, at least. Maybe the shinobi was living up to his reputation and was feeding him false leads.

He thought no more of it and when the Alexander's ramp extended to the dock, he walked into it, motioning for his employee to follow.

-OMAKE-

UCHIHA VS UZUMAKI, ROUND 1

Mito and Makoto stared each other down, their mutual glares scaring away any civilians. Killing intent leaked from them, causing any shinobi in the vicinity to instantly faint. They slowly drew their respective weapons. "It ends today, Mito-sama. It ends today," said the Uchiha, brandishing her gigantic fan.

"Yes, today is the day of reckoning. Only one of us shall walk away from this battle alive," confirmed the Uzumaki, hefting her katana menacingly.

"If you're ready, I'm ready," responded Makoto. Her muscles were tensed and ready for war.

"I'm ready," stated Mito, charging forward and meeting her opponent halfway.

The clash that followed would go down as one of the absolutely most epic fights within village boundaries. Buildings were destroyed, the gate was leveled, and many shinobi and civilians unlucky enough to be caught in the crossfire suffered broken bones and concussions. Needless to say, Tobirama was livid.

"What were you two thinking?!" shouted the angry Hokage. "Do you have any idea how much it's going to cost to pay worker's comp and cover medical bills?! How much it's going to cost to rebuild those structures and gates you two destroyed?!"

Makoto tried to diffuse her boyfriend's rage. "But Tobi-kun, she's the one who-"

The white-haired man cut her off. "I don't care who started it! The fact is that you two caused severe damage to Konoha, and I demand an explanation. Why were you two trying to kill each other in the middle of the village?"

Mito pointed to the fearful Uchiha woman. "She tried to take my ramen, so I took her dango in exchange. She overreacted."

Makoto scowled at the redhead. "That never happened at all! I didn't try to take your ramen! You were just being a greedy, self-centered jerk!"

"Self-centered jerk?! Look who's talking about being a self-centered jerk, Ms. I'm-better-than-you-so-you-should-do-what-I-say Uchiha! And you DID take my ramen, my sweet, precious ramen…" At that point, Mito began to cry tragic anime tears. "I didn't even get a chance to taste it! Waaaah!"

Both Makoto and Tobirama sweatdropped at this behavior. While it was common knowledge that Mito loved ramen, her hysterical sobbing caught the shinobi off guard. It was as though she were weeping for lost kin. "Now calm down Mito-sama…" said the Hokage cautiously. "It was just ramen. Look, I'm willing to forget the whole thing if you calm down…"

Suddenly the temperature in the room dropped several degrees. The Uzumaki's buns had come undone, covering her eyes with her long red hair. Her fists were at her sides, but they were clenched and dripping blood from the sharp nails on the tips. There were now whisker marks on her cheeks and she was crouched in the same manner as a wild animal.

She looked up and glared at them with bright crimson eyes that featured a slitted pupil. Violent red chakra swirled endlessly around her which only added to her terrifying new appearance. There was a shroud of additional chakra that took the form of a fox kit. Makoto and Tobirama gulped; they knew who the chakra belonged to.

"Just ramen? JUST ramen? JUST RAMEN?!" she shouted, the evil chakra adding a demonic tinge to her voice. "IT WASN'T JUST RAMEN! IT IS THE FOOD OF THE GODS THEMSELVES! HOW DARE YOU UTTER SUCH BLASPHEMY! I PRONOUNCE JUDGEMENT IN THE NAME OF THE RAMEN GODS, AND THE JUDGEMENT IS DEATH! PREPARE TO DIE!"

For the rest of the day, Mito was in hot pursuit of both the Hokage and the Uchiha clan head.

-OMAKE END-

AN: Here's the long-awaited next chapter. Sorry about the last few chapters, there were some family issues in the way and I couldn't focus that well. On a side note, this story might be a little slower to update than normal since work and other stuff are in the way. Unknownbyself, away! *fails to teleport*


End file.
